The beef between the two Shiv Sena factions stalled the business of the Maharashtra legislative council on Thursday, as a Sena minister from Shinde Camp, Gulabrao Patil, had a tiff with former cabinet minister and MLC Anil Parab.
Eventually, all members of Legislative Council (MLCs) from Uddhav Thackeray camp of the Sena protested against Patil, with support from their MVA allies – the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Congress.
Patil and Parab have been at loggerheads with each other for a while now. Following the rebellion in Shiv Sena, Patil was stripped off his Water Supply and Sanitation department portfolio in June; the portfolio was handed over to Parab.
Thursday’s tussle began when when Deepak Kesarkar, minister for school education, said the finance department was reviewing the decision to increase grant to primary, secondary, and higher secondary schools. Parab and other members of the opposition broke out in protest claiming the decision was already signed by former Chief Minister Thackeray and deputy CM Ajit Pawar during the tenure of the previous Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government. Patil then stood up and began to argue with Parab, speaking out of turn in the process, which irked the opposition.
As neither faction backed down, the opposition entered the Well of the house in protest and the proceedings were adjourned for five minutes, for the third time in the day.
Patil was also rebuked by deputy chairman Neelam Gohre for speaking out of turn.
After the proceedings resumed, Gorhe gave Patil a chance to speak. Directly attacking Parab, Patil said, “What work did Anil Parab do when he was in the cabinet? Why am I not allowed to talk?”
Leader of the opposition in the Council, Ambadas Danve then demanded an apology from Patil, stating: “The issue is not related to his department, and he spoke out of turn. He must apologise.”
