Sena talks tough, wants Centre to recall Maharashtra governor Koshiyari

The ruling Shiv Sena in Maharashtra on Saturday (February 13) asked the Centre to call back Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, accusing him of working as opposition instead of pursuing the government’s agenda.

In an editorial written in party mouthpiece Saamana, Sena accused the Centre of using the governor to take potshots at the state government.

There was political row recently after the governor had to deboard a state-owned plane after the government denied him permission to use it to fly to Dehradun.

The editorial read: “Bhagat Singh Koshyari has again courted controversy. He was in news for using a state government’s plane for a private visit. The state government denied permission to the governor to go to Dehradun using the state aircraft. He sat in the aircraft on Thursday morning, but as the plane did not have the approval to fly, he had to disembark and take a commercial flight to Dehradun.”

Sena accused the BJP, which is in opposition, of blowing up the issue. “Why did the governor sit in the plane without the government’s approval?” the party asked. The governor was on a private visit. According to the law, no one — not even the chief minister — can use a state plane for a private tour. The Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) was right in denying Koshiyari the permission to fly, the editorial said.

Also read: Political row erupts after Maharashtra governor deboarded from state plane

Sena also took opposition leader Devendra Fadnavis head on. “Fadnavis has accused the state government of being egoistic. The whole country knows who is indulging in politics of ego. Despite the death of over 200 farmers during the ongoing protest on Delhi borders over the three farm laws, the government is not ready to withdraw them. Isn’t that ego?” the Sena said.

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The Shiv Sena is also miffed with the governor for delaying nod to 12 names recommended by the state cabinet for their nomination to the Legislative Council from the governor’s quota. “The governor is acting like a puppet,” the Sena said.

The editorial said that “if the Union Home Ministry wants the Constitution, laws and norms to be upheld, it should recall the governor.”