Thackeray asks Sanjay Nirupam to quit House panel on Finance

Shiv Sena Chief Bal Thackeray has shown the door to one of his most trusted loyalist and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Nirupam, ordering him to quit...

Shiv Sena Chief Bal Thackeray has shown the door to one of his most trusted loyalist and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Nirupam, ordering him to quit the prestigious Standing Committee of Parliament on Finance.

At the same time, Thackeray nominated a newly elected party member to the Rajya Sabha, R.N. Dhoot, in place of Nirupam. A notification regarding Nirupam’s resignation and Dhoot’s appointment was issued by the Rajya Sabha secretariate last week. RS secretary general R.C. Tripathi has confirmed that Dhoot has replaced Nirupam in the committee.

Sources say Thackeray called up Nirupam in Delhi to quit the Standing committee and told the Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pramod Mahajan to ensure that Dhoot is nominated without delay.

Dhoot is a well-known industrialist and his name was doing the rounds for the possible induction into the Vajpayee Government as a Minister of State in the Cabinet reshuffle in place of Bala Saheb Vikhe Patil, Minister of State for Banking and Insurance.

However, with Dhoot becoming a member of the Finance Standing Committee, it is clear that Ananth Geete or Eknath may be brought into the Government.

Meanwhile, there is considerable surprise over Nirupam’s ouster from the panel as he has been considered close to Thackeray and is known for raising issues in the Rajya Sabha. When contacted, Nirupam was not available for comment.