Koshyari's tumultuous relationship with the MVA

A veteran politician with an RSS-BJP background, Koshyari came into focus when the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena decided to cut ties with the BJP

Much along expected lines, controversial Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari had to go largely because of his tumultuous relationship with the tri-party Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), both when it was in power and after its fall.

Because of his actions and statements, even the Maharashtra BJP unit has fallen into the line of fire and had to face embarrassment.

Last month, the 80-year-old Koshyari—who had taken charge as Governor on 6 September, 2019—met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and expressed his desire to step down, which was honoured on Sunday when President Droupadi Murmu appointed Ramesh Bais in his place.

A veteran politician with an RSS-BJP background, Koshyari came into focus when the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena decided to break its approximately three-decade-old ties with the BJP to ally with the Congress-NCP Democratic Front because of the initiative of NCP supremo Sharad Pawar.

However, there was a delay in government formation which led to the President’s Rule.

Also Read | NCP, Uddhav Sena camp welcome Bhagat Singh Koshyari's exit as Maharashtra governor

Thereafter, when the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress alliance was formalised and it was almost certain that Thackeray would be the new Chief Minister, there was a shock when the early morning swearing in of Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, as Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister respectively, took place. The government collapsed in three days.

On November 28, 2019, Thackeray became the Chief Minister and the period after his ascenion was marked by constant rifts with the office of the Governor.

To build a relationship, Koshyari also broke protocol and went to Matoshree, the residence of Thackeray, for dinner.

Subsequently, in March 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic broke out, the tiff between the two intensified as the Governor started question the state government's handling of the pandemic.

The Governor shot off letters to the MVA government, Thackeray and his ministers on various issues.

The MVA leaders, for their part, accused him of using the Raj Bhavan as a BJP office.

The relationship further worsened on the letter war between Koshyari and Thackeray on the issue of reopening of temples. “…I wonder if you are receiving any divine premonition to keep postponing the reopening of the places of worship time and again or have you suddenly turned ‘secular’ yourself, the term you hated…,” the Governor wrote, to which Thackeray had replied: “….You have taken oath as a Governor…and secularism is a part of the Constitution. However, I don’t need a certificate on Hindutva from anybody, nor do I have to learn it from anyone…”

In fact, Pawar had to write a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on this issue.

The tiff between Koshyari and the MVA hit its peak when the former was denied permission to fly in a state government plane to Dehradun, the winter capital of Uttarakhand, and deboarded.

His statements on icons like legendary Maratha warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and social reformer couple Mahatma Phule and Savitribai Phule landed him in controversies.

On Shivaji Maharaj, he had said: “…Earlier, when you would be asked who is your icon - Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhas Chandra Bose and Mahatma Gandhi used to be the answers. In Maharashtra, you need not look elsewhere as there are so many icons here. While Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is of olden days, there are Babasaheb Ambedkar and Nitin Gadkari who are heroes of present days…”

On the Phules, he said: “…Savitribai was married off when she was ten years old. Her husband Jyotirao was 13 years old. Now imagine, what would the boy and girl have been doing after marriage? What would they have been thinking?…”

On one occasion, he even said: “…if Gujaratis and Rajasthanis are removed from Maharashtra, especially Mumbai and Thane, no money would be left here. Mumbai would not be able to remain the financial capital of the country…”.

A couple of months ago, the opposition MVA took to the streets to protest against him.

With the Budget session round the corner—when the Governor gives the customary address to both the Houses of Legislature—the Centre has not taken any chances and has decided to relieve him as per his wishes.