BJP MLA from Charkop Yogesh Sagar was ranked the best MLA by Praja NGO as part of its annual rating exercise for elected representatives. Marking MLAs in Mumbai on the basis of their attendance in Assembly sessions,number and quality of questions asked,utilisation of local area development funds,education,criminal record,income tax returns and perception of the MLA of voters in his/her constituency,the NGO stated that as compared to last years ranking only 13 of the 32 MLAs improved their rankings while 18 of them slid further down. Congress MLA from Mumbadevi Amin Patel jumped from rank 10 in 2011 to rank 3 apart from being tagged Mr Popular. Last years first ranker,MNS MLA from Vikhroli,Mangesh Sangle slid to rank 2 this year because of a new FIR lodged against him. Chembur MLA Chandrakant Handore slipped from last years ranking of 24 to the lowest rank at 32 this year. Praja chairman Nitai Mehta said since four out of 36 MLAs are ministers and are not allowed to raise questions in the House,they have been excluded from the rankings. The criminal cases against MLAs seem like a malaise; many of them plummeted in their rankings on this account, he said. Malad MLA Aslam Shaikh moved from rank 29 to rank 12 in the current year,primarily because he improved his attendance,number of questions asked and the quality of questions asked. Versova MLA Baldev Khosa improved his ranking from 27 to 17 in addition to being tagged Mr Clean. Ranked at 7,MNS MLA Bala Nandgaonkar has been tagged Mr Committed.
