Now that's a first! Ruling party walks out of Maharashtra Assembly after Opposition's uproar

The ongoing Monsoon Session of the Maharashtra Assembly is turning to be quite stormy and the proceedings have already set a record. It is for the first time in the Parliamentary history of the country that a ruling party has boycotted the proceedings of the House due to dominance by Opposition parties.

Legislative Council members of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena decided not to attend the House, alleging that the Opposition parties did not allow them to speak. The House was adjourned till 1 PM on Thursday since the ruling MLCs were absent.

The leader of Opposition in state Legislative Council Dhananjay Munde called it a 'black day' since the ruling party boycotted the proceedings. Following the Council, the Assembly too was adjourned till 12.30 PM.

The Opposition parties have cornered the government for the last two days over allegations of financial irregularities in the allotment of a Slum Rehabilitation Authority project (SRA) in South Mumbai.

What put them in the corner?

The Opposition has alleged that housing minister Prakash Mehta wrongfully approved the project by falsely claiming that the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was aware of the approval. Alleging huge financial irregularities in the approval of the project, the Opposition MLAs and MLCs took the government to task demanding Mehta's resignation.

Congress MLA and former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan produced copies of the file pertaining to the project that had Mehta's notes saying that CM Fadnavis was informed about the approval. This came as a big shock to the CM who immediately denied having any information of the approval.

This gave the much-needed fuel to the Opposition who obstructed proceedings demanding that Mehta resign immediately. Even though Fadnavis assured that there would be an inquiry into the matter, the Opposition was in no mood to budge from their stand.

Reacting to the allegations, Mehta said, “There is no substance in the charges. Everything was done in accordance with the DC Rules pertaining to slum rehabilitation. It is the handy work of some disgruntled party colleagues who are eyeing my chair.”

And more trouble

The dust over the Mehta issue had not even settled and the Opposition parties brought up another issue. And this issue was even more serious.

A senior IAS officer and Managing Director of Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) Radheshyam Mopalwar was caught on tape allegedly demanding a bribe of Rs 2 cr for an allotment of a plot in Borivali, Mumbai to a builder.

Chavan said the allegations have put a big question mark on Fadnavis' reliability. “The audio clips wherein Mopalwar is heard demanding a bribe of Rs 2 Cr for allotment of a plot are making rounds of social media for the last three days and the government has not even summoned Mopalwar or sought clarification. He should have been removed from the post immediately,” Chavan said.

“This is a very serious issue. The government is still struggling to answer how a minister could mislead the government machinery in the name of the CM and now there is a senior bureaucrat who is reported to have sought huge bribe to approve the allotment of a plot to a builder. Mopalwar is neck deep in corruption, he must be removed from the post immediately,” Leader of Opposition in Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil said.

Reacting to the allegations, Fadnavis tired to turn the tables on the Opposition.

“Mopalwar got plum postings during Congress-NCP rule in the state. We will carry out investigations in the allegations, it will be completed within a month. Mopalwar will be punished if found guilty. All the allegations are pertaining to his actions during Congress – NCP rule,” Fadnavis saved.

Following a tremendous uproar caused by the Opposition parties in the Legislative Council over Mehta and Moplawar, ruling party members boycotted the proceedings and staged a walkout on Wednesday.

And on Thursday, none of the ruling party members turned up in the House. Given the absence of ruling party members, deputy speaker Manikrao Thakre adjourned the House.

Meanwhile, Radheshyam Mopalwar was temporarily divested from charge till the probe is over.