Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole urges Governor to convoke Assembly session

‘BJP is trying to destabilise the political fabric of the State’

As the political drama sparked by fierce problems within the ruling Shiv Sena entered its seventh day on Monday, Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole — whose party is in alliance with the Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) — demanded Governor B.S. Koshyari to convene a session of the Assembly at the earliest, while accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the Centre of ‘scripting’ Maharashtra’s turmoil.

 “It is clear now that the BJP is trying to finish off the Shiv Sena and attempting to destabilise the cultural and political fabric of Maharashtra. The BJP will have to bear the fruits of their action,” said Mr. Patole.

Urging the Governor to convoke a special session of the State Assembly, he said that the rebel MLAs and the BJP ought to prove their majority on the floor of the House if they indeed had the numbers.

“But that doesn’t seem to be happening [Governor calling for an Assembly session]… instead, the BJP is maligning the State’s image,” Mr. Patole said, alleging that it was now clear that the BJP had instigated the rebellion within the Sena in order to destabilise the ruling MVA government.