Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024 | Ahead of polls, Governor C P Radhakrishnan appoints seven MLCs

Mumbai: Acting swiftly ahead of the announcement of polls, seven members of the Maharashtra Legislative Council from the Governor’s quota were appointed on Tuesday.

There were 12 vacancies from the Governor’s quota, however, only seven were inducted today, while the rest are set to be appointed post the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly elections.

The Maha Yuti government, headed by Eknath Shinde, Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, in its Cabinet meeting, finalised the names and sent their list to the office of Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan, who okayed it late in the night.

Of the seven the BJP has three MLCs while Shinde-headed Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar-headed NCP have two each.

The BJP MLCs are Chitra Wagh, the party’s state women’s wing chief, Banjara community spiritual leader Dharmaguru Babusing Maharaj Rathod and the party’s youth-wing chief Vikrant Patil.

The NCP members were Pankaj Bhujbal, the son of state Food and Civil Supplies Minister and veteran OBC leader Chhagan Bhujbal and Idris Iliyas Naikwadi, former Mayor of Sangli city.

The Shiv Sena members are Dr Manisha Kayande, a veteran leader and spokesperson, and former Hingoli MP Hemant Patil.

Curiously, back in November 2020, the then Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress Maha Vikas Aghadi government headed by Uddhav Thackeray had submitted 12 names to then Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari for nomination to the Legislative Council from the Governor’s quota. However, he had kept it pending.

In June 2022, the Thackeray-government was toppled and Eknath Shinde became the Chief Minister with Devendra Fadnavis as Deputy Chief Minister.

In February 2023, Koshyari was replaced by Ramesh Bais. and in July 2023, Ajit Pawar joined the government as Deputy Chief Minister.

In Maharashtra, the Governor nominates 12 MLCs for tenure of six years – based on the recommendations of the state Cabinet.

According to Article171(5) of the Constitution: “The members to be nominated by the Governor under sub clause (e) of clause (3) shall consist of persons having special knowledge or practical experience in respect of such matters as the following, namely: literature, science, art, co-operative movement and social service.”

They would be sworn in by Council Chairperson Dr Neelam Gorhe later in the day.