Mumbai: In a surprising twist in Maharashtra politics, the leader of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) Raj Thackeray said he had an understanding with the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) to support the ruling combine in the recent legislative council elections.
Thackeray claims that in return for his support, suspension orders of four MNS MLAs would be revoked. The Congress-NCP swept the MLCs elections winning seven seats. The Shiv Sena won just one.
At a press conference, Raj Thackeray on Saturday admitted he had struck a deal with the Congress and the NCP to support the ruling combine in the recent state legislative council elections.
"It is important for me to send my four suspended MLAs back to the legislature as they were elected by lakhs of voters. It would be injustice to their constituencies if they remain out of the House," said Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray.
The four MLAs were suspended in 2009 for a period of four years after they assaulted Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi for taking oath in Hindi and not Marathi.
The MNS leader decided to go public about the quid pro quo deal after the Shiv Sena alleged the MNS was paid to vote against the Sena candidate. The Sena won just one seat in the elections while the Congress- NCP won seven.
The Congress and the NCP downplayed the comment, but the matter is unlikely to die down.
"This is a scam and we will ask the state election commission to look into it," said Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut.
Clearly this is not the last word on the matter, and all eyes will be on the next assembly session, when the MNS will be hoping to make good on its deal.