Thackeray camp MLAs have to follow whip issued by GOGAVALE: Narwekar

Maharashtra Speaker Rahul Narwekar on Friday said there is only one Shiv Sena legislative party in the state legislature and its MLAs will have to adhere to the whip issued by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led camp’s whip Bharat Gogavale, recognised by him.

Speaking to a news channel, Narwekar said he has diligently followed the Supreme Court’s guidelines while giving his judgment on the cross-petitions by Sena factions seeking disqualification of each other’s MLAs following a split in the party in 2022, and his decision is “tenable”. Narwekar has come under intense criticism from the opposition, especially the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) for recognising the Shinde outfit as the “real” Shiv Sena. Thackeray has termed the verdict a ‘’murder of democracy’’ and said his party will move the Supreme Court against it.

‘’I had to decide which of the two groups in the legislature represents the original political party. No party can have two whips. So MLAs of that (other) group have to adhere to the whip recognised by me,” Narwekar said. Whip is binding to party MLAs failing which it can attract disqualification.

When asked whether the Sena (UBT) group exists before him, Narwekar said, “There is only Shiv Sena legislative party before the speaker.” When further asked whether Gogavale’s whip will be applicable to the Thackeray camp, Narwekar said, “Whip of the legislative party to which the Thackeray camp MLAs belong will be applicable to them.” Narwekar on Wednesday gave his order on disqualification petitions concerning Shiv Sena MLAs. He recognised the Shinde-led party as the “real political party” and also Gogavale as the party whip.

Defending his decision to not recognise the 2018 constitution of the Shiv Sena, Narwekar said those who have been elected to the national executive were communicated to the Election Commission of India, but their letter does not mention that a copy of the party constitution has been attached to it.

He said according to the state legislature rules, after a political party gets recognition as the legislative party, it has to submit a copy of its constitution and organisational structure to the speaker’s office in 30 days. “But unfortunately, neither Uddhav Thackeray nor Eknath Shinde communicated it to the speaker’s office,” Narwekar said.