Nagpur: CM Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday did some hard talking with the BJP members warning non-seriousness in work will not be tolerated. At the BJP’s meeting with the members representing both state legislative assembly and council, held at Vidhan Bhawan in Nagpur, Fadnavis said, ” It is high time they realise they are now the ruling party. They should not behave like opposition members in the assembly and council or outside.”
It has come to the notice that often the members of the ruling displayed their same aggression inside and outside the house. Several members still have not reconciled to the ruling party status which requires greater responsibility and alertness during the session, according to a cabinet minister who justified Fadnavis .
Fadnavis who has set an example himself by his excellent performance and spending maximum time in the session indicated, ” Members absence from the assembly or council when the work is going on shows non-seriousness or lack of interest. The MLAs and MLCs should sit through the session and pay attention to the ongoing work.”
A senior MLA who was present during the meeting said, ” CM talked tough with the members.” At one point he said, ” Members should stop issuing letters. And they should also exercise discretion to find out issues ministry wise and not heap all their issues to CM office.” The chief minister also did not appreciate members walking upto him in the assembly holding paper in hand to pursue some work in their constituencies.
Out of 288 MLAs in assembly, the BJP has 121 MLAs. Overall, the first term MLAs in the assembly are as high as 154 MLAs. The BJP invited the pin pricks from the opposition who wondered why on crucial debate on Vidarbha all their members were not in full attendance. The BJP has 44 MLAs from Vidarbha out of 62 MLAs.
A senior cabinet minister (BJP) said, ” This is a first full fledged session for the new government. It was natural for the chief minister to expect members would diligently spend more time in the assembly and council. As it also is part of the learning process.” Although most of the members reported early daily, it came to their notice that post lunch many skipped the session and stayed outside within the premises pursuing work related to their constituencies.
In the ongoing winter session it has come to the notice that senior leader representing the NCP displayed maximum discipline and seriousness in the assembly and council. Whether it was NCP’s Ajit Pawar, Chhagan Bhujbal, Dilip Walse-Patil et al would arrive ten minutes earlier and stay till the entire work was over. Whereas, Congress in comparison was found lacking in role of opposition.
Several senior Congress leaders would often remain out of House in the second half of the session.
