Pawar punch 8212; Weans away 45 Congress MLAs

MUMBAI, JUNE 3: The imminent split in Maharashtra Congress was as good as formalised today with 45 MLAs and 15 MLCs--nearly two-thirds of...

MUMBAI, JUNE 3: The imminent split in Maharashtra Congress was as good as formalised today with 45 MLAs and 15 MLCs8211;nearly two-thirds of the party8217;s legislature strength8211;organising themselves into a distinct political group to merge with Sharad Pawar8217;s Nationalist Congress Party. Calling their formation Congress Rashtrawadi, they met the presiding officers of the state legislature and requested separate seating arrangement in the Houses.

Today8217;s development has dealt a body blow to the Congress party, especially in the legislature, as it loses its status of the main Opposition party. It also means that Pawar proteges and leaders of Opposition8211;Chhagan Bhujbal in the Council and Madhukar Pichad in the Assembly8211;will continue in their posts.

The pro-Pawar group8217;s numbers swelled from 37 to 45 MLAs as the fence-sitters from the influential sugar belt including Vijaysinh Mohite-Patil, Jayant Patil and RR Patil finally decided in his favour. The MLC list also had an addition8211;Vishnuanna Patil8211;also fromthe sugar belt. The seeming reluctance of these leaders in joining the Pawar bandwagon had given the party a hope that the powerful sugar belt will remain with the party.

With the numbers on Pawar8217;s side, it8217;s now a matter of formality for the presiding officers to take a decision recognising this distinct group and granting it the required legitimacy. Both, the Speaker of the Assembly Dattaji Nalwade and the Chairman of the Council NS Phranade met the breakaway legislators individually in their chambers to ascertain their numbers and identities. Later, they said they would have to consult 8220;legal and constitutional experts8221; on the exact procedure before declaring their decision. Pharande said the decision could be expected by this weekend.

While the mood in Congress camp was predictable gloomy, the meeting of a pro-Pawar legislators passed a resolution confirming Bhujbal and Pichad as leaders of Opposition. The legislators also authorised them to take all the necessary steps to formalise the new partyand its constitution. But naturally, the Congress R will merge with Pawar8217;s NCP at a convenient time.

In the meeting, Pichad made a special mention of the sugar belt leaders hailing their decision, Bhujbal said that more legislators from the Congress are likely to join the Congress R within a month. 8220;Some are in touch and may join but they will now need a minimum of one-third strength to split and join us,8221; he said. With the Congress Legislature Party strength now 32 in the Assembly and 12 in the Council, at least 11 MLAs and four MLCs would have to walk out en bloc. Besides, the Congress R has claimed support of a sizeable number of Independent legislators.

Reacting to the development, Congress spokesperson WW Sherekar said that the legislators who have joined Pawar will be taught a lesson by their electorate in the next election. 8220;This is a betrayal of the electorate,8221; he said. However, the subdued mood among the party leaders indicated that they had not bargained for such a massive walkoverto the Pawar camp. Now they are focussing on retaining the organisational strength across the state.