With the state Legislative Council passing the Appropriation (Vote on Account) Bill, the Maharashtra Government is "positive" about revoking suspension of the opposition legislators in the Assembly, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Girish Bapat told the lower house today.
Nineteen Opposition MLAs from the Congress and the NCP were suspended on Wednesday from the Assembly for nine months for creating ruckus during the Budget presentation in the House last week.
Addressing the state Assembly today, Bapat said the opposition legislators were suspended as a disciplinary action. "That does not mean the suspension will not be revoked," he said.
"The government is positive for revocation of the suspension as it wants the proceedings of the Legislature session to be held in a cordial atmosphere. Even though the government may be in a majority, the opposition is required to incorporate their suggestions in the budgetary demands," Bapat said.
"We hope to see the opposition members in the House when it reassembles after the Gudhi Padva break on next Wednesday," Bapat said.
He said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has held discussions with Assembly Speaker, Council Chairman and other group leaders.
Meanwhile, talking to reporters outside the Assembly, a Congress MLC said, "The government is likely to withdraw suspension of most of the legislators on Wednesday while keeping the suspension of legislators, who had actually burnt the budget copies. Their suspension could be revoked on the last day of the budget session."
The decision was taken by the government after the Council Chairman Ramraje Naik Nimbalkar conducted the proceedings of the Upper House to pass the Appropriation (Vote on Account) Bill.
The Council was being adjourned within seconds of assembling after the suspension of the 19 MLAs earlier this week.
The government wanted to suspend ten opposition MLCs as well, who had burnt the budget copies but it does not have majority in the upper house, opposition members alleged.
Yesterday, Bapat had accused Nimbalkar of political
bias and said the government would request Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao to direct the chairman to ensure the passage of the vote on account.
"If the Chairman had not heeded to the Governor's directives, it would have reflected poorly on the Governor and the state government," the MLC said on condition of anonymity.
The 19 MLAs were suspended for creating ruckus in the house during the budget presentation on March 18 and burning the budget copies on the Vidhan Bhavan premises.
Meanwhile, Bapat met the opposition leaders in the chamber of Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil and requested them to attend the Assembly proceedings on March 29.
The minister later told reporters that the opposition leaders would make a request to revoke the suspension on the floor of the House, following which the decision would be taken.
