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Journalism of Courage
Breaking his silence on the political developments in Maharashtra, former state governor Bhagat Singh Koshiyari on Monday described Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray as a “saintly person” who was not cut out for the Chief Minister post. Instead, Koshiyari said, Thackeray should have continued to run his own party.
Reflecting on his strained relationship with former chief minister Thackeray, Koshiyari said, “I am of the view that Uddhav Thackeray is a saintly person. He shouldn’t have taken the CM post. He was not fit for CM. He should have run his own party. It was NCP’s Sharad Pawar and Congress which instilled in him the chief ministership and made him a sacrificial lamb. Actually, I feel sorry for Uddhav Thackeray.”
Explaining his firm decision not to sign the list of 12 candidates which were proposed by the MVA government, Koshiyari said, “ The CM wrote a five-page letter listing out dos and don’ts. In the end, it said I should sign within 15 days or earlier. The matter was referred to court. There is no constitutional provision where a government can dictate terms to the governor. Generally, CM writes just four lines of letters. Wonder who was CM’s advisor? But more shocking is they had leaders like Sharad Pawar who is well versed with rules.”
On Thackeray’s decision not to allot a government plane to the governor following differences, Koshiyari said, “ Thackeray deboarded me from the plane. Look, destiny pulled him from the CM chair.”
The former governor also vehemently stated that he had committed no wrong in the early morning swearing-in of CM Devendra Fadnavis and DyCM Ajit Pawar.
“A night before, Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar presented me with a list of members’ support. They assured that they have a majority. I believed Fadnavis had the majority. How can I be faulted in this? After all, Ajit Pawar is a senior and able NCP leader. When he pledged support I had to take his words seriously. Moreover, a majority is always proved on the floor of the House in the state legislative assembly. It is never proved in front of the state governor or president of India. I don’t think I did anything wrong in calling Fadnavis for an early morning swearing-in at Raj Bhawan in 2019. Prior to the early morning swearing-in, although Maha Vikas Aghadi kept saying they were forming the government their leaders did not furnish letters of support till the last minute. I strictly went by the laid rules.”
On his decision to resign before completion of the entire tenure of five years, he said, “ I have completed more than three years as governor. I had accepted the responsibility which was entrusted to me by the PM. When Modi was in Nagpur in December I conveyed my wish to resign as governor which was accepted.”
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