Maharashtra to see a stormy Budget session

The crucial Budget session of the Maharashtra legislature starting next week is set to be stormy amid compounding crisis within the 56-year-old Shiv Sena, the recent Election Commission order and the ongoing Supreme Court hearing.

It will not be smooth sailing for Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, the new Chief Leader of Shiv Sena and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis as the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi is armed with multiple issues.

The Budget session would be held from February 27 to March 25.

All eyes would be on Speaker Rahul Narwekar, who will take a call on legal and legislative issues involving the two factions of Shiv Sena.

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Fadnavis, who is also the Finance Minister, would be tabling the Budget for the financial year 2023-24 on March 9. It is to be seen whether former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, an MLC, would be attending the session.

The session would commence with the rendition of the national song 'Vande Mataram' followed by 'Jai Jai Maharashtra Majha', which has been designated as tge state song from February 19, the birth anniversary of legendary Maratha warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji.

The first day of the session would see the customary address of the newly inducted Governor Ramesh Bais, who replaced Bhagat Singh Koshyari.

The results of the bye-elections in Kasba Peth and Chinchwad will also be out during the four-week session, which is crucial for BJP and MVA being a sort of litmus test. The split in the Shiv Sena has left several questions and interpretations open.

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Forty MLAs of Shiv Sena are with Shinde and the rest 16 MLAs are with Uddhav. The Shinde-led Shiv Sena has kept its cards close to its chest.

As regards Congress, it is not yet known whether Balasaheb Throat, who resigned as Legislature Party leader following differences with state president Nana Patole, has taken it back or not.

As far as the Sharad Pawar-led NCP is concerned, there was a sort of "poster war" with banners of top leaders emerging as to who would be the future Chief Minister, but the party has issued a denial. First, the poster of state NCP President Jayant Patil emerged followed by Leader of Opposition Ajit Pawar and then Baramati MP Supriya Sule.