Awhad writes to Speaker, demands disqualification of minister Kokate

Questioning Speaker’s inordinate delay in taking a decision on Kokate, Awhad said, “There cannot be two separate norms for those in ruling and opposition. The rules are same for every MLA.”

Expressing disappointment over Speaker’s “partial conduct”, Shiv Sena UBT leader Sanjay Raut said in Mumbai, “We have seen how this Speaker conducts for the past three years. We have seen it when he upheld Eknath Shinde faction and Ajit Pawar faction as real Shiv Sena and NCP respectively. On merit, he should have disqualified Shinde’s 40 MLAs for defection. But he legitimised them as a original party, violating the legislative norms… We cannot expect the Speaker of fair play when it comes to matter regarding ruling party MLAs.”

On February 20, the Nashik district and sessions court convicted Manikrao Kokate and his brother Vijay Kokate for alleged fraud in acquiring houses under CM’s discretionary 10 per cent quota for low income groups. The minister was awarded a two-year jail term. Kokate has decided to appeal in higher court against the order.

Narwrekar said, “We will take a decision after studying the court order. I have not received the court order yet.”
The budget session of the state Assembly will begin next month.