Sena, Cong oppose idea of holding monsoon session in Nagpur

Ruling BJP's alliance partner Shiv Sena and the opposition Congress have opposed the idea of holding the monsoon session of the Maharashtra legislature in Nagpur instead of Mumbai, which is the norm.

The state government has appointed a committee of three ministers to take a final call on the venue of the monsoon session which will be held in July.

As per convention, the monsoon and Budget sessions of the state legislature are held in Mumbai while Nagpur, the second capital of Maharashtra, hosts the winter session in December.

Shiv Sena minister Eknath Shinde recalled the July 2005 Mumbai deluge to oppose the idea of holding the monsoon session in Nagpur.

He said the council of ministers should be in Mumbai in event of any eventuality.

"Entire Mumbai and the metropolitan region was submerged under water during the deluge in July 2005. The government and ministers must be available in Mumbai during the monsoon session. We cannot rush from Nagpur if something bad happens in Mumbai or Thane," he said.

Leader of Opposition in Legislative Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil (Congress) said a majority of legislators from all political parties are against the idea of holding the monsoon session in Nagpur, the hometown of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

"This proposal is not practical. Only the chief minister is in the favour of this proposal," said Vikhe Patil.

Another Sena minister said Fadnavis wanted to clear the issues pertaining to Vidarbha--the region which largely voted in favour of the BJP in 2014 polls--as there is a possibility that mid-term polls for Lok Sabha and state Assembly would be held in December this year.

"Hence, Fadnavis wants to clear issues related to Vidarbha and may announce a special financial package for his home region before the mid-term polls are announced," he said.

The minister said Fadnavis would not get an opportunity to "favour" Vidarbha region if simultaneous polls are to be held, and hence he is pushing the idea of holding the monsoon session in Nagpur in July.

The three-minister committee, headed by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Girish Bapat (BJP), comprises Industries Minister Subhash Desai (Sena) and Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar (BJP).