MVA leaders urge Maharashtra Governor to approve schedule for Assembly Speaker's election on March 9
The Hindu
The Budget Session of the State legislature commenced from March 3 and will continue till March 25
Leaders of Maharashtra's ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) on Friday called on State Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari in Mumbai and urged him to approve the schedule for Legislative Assembly Speaker's election on March 9.
The Budget Session of the State legislature commenced from March 3 and will continue till March 25.
A delegation of MVA leaders, comprising Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, PWD minister Ashok Chavan, Industries Minister Subhash Desai, Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, Transport Minister Anil Parab, Minister of State for Home Satej Patil, State Congress chief Nana Patole and State NCP president and Water Resources Minister Jayant Patil, met the Governor at the Raj Bhavan in Mumbai.
Talking to reporters later, Mr. Bhujbal said the delegation informed the Governor about the schedule for the Speaker's election on March 9.
"We appealed to the Governor to approve the schedule," he said, adding that the government expects a positive response from the Raj Bhavan.
Referring to the exchange of letters between the government and the Raj Bhavan in December last year over the issue, Mr. Bhujbal said the reference to those letters was made by the Governor, but the delegation urged Mr. Koshyari to leave the past behind and allow the Assembly Speaker's post, which has been lying vacant for a year.
The election authorities are gearing up for the counting of votes cast in the simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh, scheduled to be held on June 4. The Collectors and Election Officers of Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli and Alluri Sitharama Raju (ASR) districts said on May 23 (Thursday) that their teams were ready for the counting of votes.
Responding to the prolonged water scarcity, the residents of the area took to the streets in protest on Wednesday. The protest, which drew attention to their plight, stopped only after the intervention of the police. It was not until 1.30 p.m. that a 4000-litre tanker was finally delivered by BWSSB, providing relief to the water-starved residents.