Monsoon session: Action-packed three weeks on the cards as CM Fadnavis faces a tough floor test

While the BJP had won office in Maharashtra riding on a promise of ‘zero tolerance against corruption’, at least a dozen ministers are currently battling allegations of graft.

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The chief minister had to face fire from the Opposition on Sunday for countering allegations of graft levelled against his ministers. “The chief minister has redefined zero tolerance against corruption. His mantra to his ministerial colleagues appears to be aap khate raho, main bachate rahoonga’ (You indulge in corruption, I’ll shield you),” said Dhananjay Munde, Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Legislative Council.

Indicating that the Opposition would put up a united front on the floor of the House, Munde (NCP) and Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil (Congress) held a joint press conference Sunday.

Vikhe-Patil also stepped up the offensive against Fadnavis blaming him over the failure to rein in his ministerial colleagues and bureaucrats. The Opposition listed out names of at least eight ministers in the government who are under the scanner over graft allegations. “This government is all about ‘ease of doing corruption’,” quipped Vikhe-Patil.

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A fractured Opposition has benefitted the BJP in the past. But the ouster of Eknath Khadse, the former No 2 man in the Fadnavis government, in June, over accusations of impropriety and graft has emboldened the Opposition.

In a bid to build the right momentum while heading into the session, the Congress has also organised a mock exhibition detailing corruption charges against the tainted ministers at Gandhi Bhavan on Monday morning.

“We have sent the chief minister an invitation card to remain present for it with all his ministers. We would be happy to welcome them there,” Vikhe-Patil said, in a sharp barb.

Besides taking on the Opposition, the chief minister will also have the task of calming some frayed nerves within the BJP. Party sources admitted that internal strife had risen following Khadse’s ouster and divesting senior minister Pankaja Munde off two key portfolios. Vikhe-Patil signalled that the Opposition had plans to exploit this wedge.

Taking a dig at a conversation between Fadnavis and Pankaja Munde on Twitter, after she was stripped of the portfolio, Vikhe-Patil said, “This government depends on Twitter for their internal communication.”

The treasury benches are also wary of a fallout of the tragedy involving a minor’s brutal rape and murder in Ahmednagar’s Karjat tehsil, which falls in the constituency represented by sitting minister Ram Shinde.

On Sunday, a mob comprising local villagers gathered and demanded capital punishment against the murderers and action against those shielding them.

While the police has arrested three people in the case, the Fadnavis-led home department has come under fire for ‘delaying’ action.

“The brutal incident is a blot to mankind. But the Chief Minister did not find time to even console the families of the victims. Even Shinde delayed meeting the victim’s family. As the state’s home minister, Fadnavis should take responsibility for the delay. We condemn his government’s insensitivity over the issue,” said Vikhe-Patil, while demanding that all the accused be tried in a fast-track court.

In the Council where the NCP and the Congress have better numbers than the ruling regime, the Opposition has been further emboldened by the election of former chief minister Narayan Rane.