Stormy relation between Raj Bhavan and Maha Vikas Aghadi government continues

When Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari was refused the permission to travel in a state government plane, it was viewed as yet another point of an ongoing clash between the Maha Vikas Aghadi government led by Chief Minister and Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray and the Raj Bhavan.

Though Thackeray and Koshyari have a good personal equation, as the latter had been to Matoshree for dinner, their working relationship seems to have been a stormy one.

The history of this rift goes back to October 2019, when the results of the Vidhan Sabha elections came out, reflecting a fractured mandate, and subsequently, the Governor recommended President’s rule.

Thereafter, while the Shiv Sena, NCP, Congress and other parties were working on the formation of an alliance, Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar were sworn-in as the chief minister and deputy chief minister, respectively.

However, the hurriedly formed government could not sustain and Pawar went back to his uncle and NCP supremo Sharad Pawar.

On 28 November 2019, Uddhav Thackeray was sworn-in as the chief minister, heading a government that kept the BJP out of power.

With strong RSS roots, Koshyari (78), an ex-MLA and ex-MP, is a seasoned politician having himself been the chief minister and the Leader of Opposition in Uttarakhand.

In fact, Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamana had often targeted him for using Raj Bhavan as a BJP office.

In the last 14 to 15 months, there had been several instances of Koshyari versus Uddhav clashes.

To discuss and review the Covid-19 pandemic situation in Maharashtra, the Governor convened a meeting at Raj Bhavan, which CM Thackeray skipped.

When the temples were closed to the public because of the coronavirus lockdown, Koshyari shot off a letter to the chief minister, asking whether the latter had suddenly turned ‘secular’.

However, Thackeray reacted by saying: “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.”

The MVA was also unhappy when Koshyari gave an audience to Kangana Ranaut, who went to Raj Bhavan to complain about the demolition of a part of her office.

Besides, it has been a few months since the MVA government had submitted the names to fill up the 12 seats of the Maharashtra Legislative Council from Governor’s quota, which Koshyari is yet to clear.