Recall Governor from Maharashtra, Shiv Sena urges Centre

The Governor is acting as a puppet of the Centre, Shiv Sena alleged

Amid regular confrontation between Raj Bhavan and the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government, the Shiv Sena on Saturday urged Centre to recall Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari.

“The Governor is acting as a puppet of the Centre... You cannot fire at the State from the shoulders of the Governor," the Shiv Sena said, adding that the MVA is strong and would remain strong.

"The Governor of a state should pursue the agenda of Government of the day and not that of the Opposition,” said an editorial that appeared in Marathi daily Saamana and its Hindi tabloid version Dophar ka Saamana, the mouthpieces of the Shiv Sena.

Also read — Stormy relation between Raj Bhavan and Maha Vikas Aghadi government continues

The editorial assumes significance in the wake of the Chief Minister’s Office denying permission to Koshyari to fly in the State government-owned jet to Uttarakhand.

In the strongly-worded editorial, the Shiv Sena also referred to the fact that Koshyari has not yet cleared the 12 names submitted by the MVA government to be nominated as members of Maharashtra Legislative Council from the Governor’s quota.

"This is against established norms and rules," the editorial stated.

It went on to add that the Governor cannot play to the tunes of BJP. “If the Union Home Ministry wanted to hold constitutional values and norms, it should recall the Governor before he is completely exposed," it said.

On the BJP charge that the MVA government is egoistic and arrogant, it added: “The use of word arrogance doesn't suit BJP leaders. The entire country knows who is indulging in politics of arrogance. If the farm laws are not repealed despite opposition to them, who is being arrogant?”

The editorial said that the Maharashtra Governor is an “honourable person” but he also needs to uphold the principles and values of his office.