Poll Debacle May Give Sena Govt A Tough Time In House

On the threshold of completing three years in power, the first-ever Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party government in Maharashtra faces a marathon six-week budget session of the state legislature from today in the aftermath of its severe drubbing by the Congress-RPI-Samajwadi Party axis in the Lok Sabha polls.

The ruling alliance would be on the defensive against a revived Opposition as its hopes of being bailed out of the prevalent economic difficulties in the state were pinned on its ability to send sufficient number of MPs to New Delhi to help formation of a BJP-led coalition government, political observers say.

The state government has repeatedly blamed Centres non-cooperation for delay in implementation of various development projects such as Mumbai-Pune expressway and demanded larger share of revenues and allocations.

The report of Srikrishna enquiry commission into the 1992 Mumbai riots and subsequent serial blasts, which the government has declared would be tabled in both Houses of the legislature, will be the focus of attention.

But political analysts are quick to point out the report could be a double edged weapon with potential to embarrass both Sena, alleged to be aggressor during riots, and the Congress, as its government was in power then.

In the last session, the Opposition had targeted the government over the financial crisis and near empty state coffers which had manifested in belated payment of salaries to police personnel, teachers and other government servants.

The government is expected to face Opposition ire again on this issue, which was sought to be explained away by it claiming readjustment of funds as reason for problem.

An issue likely to dominate the session is the controversy surrounding Rent Control Act, which has frozen rents in the metropolis to 1949 level giving rise to innumerable land disputes involving tenants and landlords and whose term expires on March 31, 1998.

The Act became an election issue in the city and the government has assured that it would introduce a new legislation in the Assembly before the deadline set by the Supreme Court.

The Opposition is also likely to train its guns on the government for clearance given to controversial Sahara hill resort project, alleged corruption in implementation of Krishna river valley irrigation project, regularisation of buildings of mill lands besides law and order situation and proposed introduction of mayor-in-council system in municipal bodies.