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NCP MLA Nawab Malik Thursday attended the winter session of the state legislature in Nagpur after being in jail for over 18 months in a PMLA case. He, though, generated a fresh controversy by sitting in the treasury benches.
This was the first time that Malik attended the state legislative session after being released on medical bail.
Shiv Sena UBT MLC Ambadas Danve slammed the state government for allowing Malik to sit in the treasury benches.
Danve asked why did the ruling BJP legislators allow Malik to rub shoulders with them after previously branding him as a ‘terrorist’ and ‘traitor’.
Minister Shambhuraje Desai objected to Danve raising the issue in the Upper House, which prompted Shiv Sena UBT MLC Anil Parab to enter into a verbal duel with Desai.
Danve said he raised the issue with the permission of the Council deputy chairperson.
Without naming Malik, Danve said, “A member is sitting in the Lower House. The CM and the deputy CM have been saying that they will never rub a shoulder with one who is a traitor. The same person who was branded as a traitor could be seen rubbing shoulders with ruling party legislators by sitting in the treasury benches…”
Responding to Danve, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, “I wonder how those leaders who had taken a stand to not take the resignation of Malik when he was in jail, are now asking for our stand. We did not rub shoulders with anyone. You don’t need to worry about us. We had demanded his resignation when he was put behind bars and there was evidence that he had a terrorist connection. But the Uddhav Thackeray-led government did nothing in this direction. So, you should first answer as to why you didn’t take his resignation despite him being in jail…”
Later in the day, Malik was seen sitting in the NCP Ajit faction office in Vidhan Bhavan.
When asked which NCP faction Malik would side with, NCP Ajit faction chief whip Anil Patil said, “Nawab Malik himself will reveal who Nawab Malik is with. Also, our national president will tell us whose side he is on. Nawab Malik will go and sit in the House, after that, everything will be clear. I applied on November 23 as the chief whip of the NCP. We have been given an office in the legislature premises. The Speaker has given that office. There is no faction issue because the NCP is ours.”
Speaking on the Malik seat allotment issue, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said, “The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly has the right to decide where anyone should sit in the House…”
However, Vidhan Bhawan officials said since the two NCP factions were not recognised by the Speaker yet, there was no question of having separate seating arrangements for NCP MLAs belonging to the two factions.
Malik was accused of executing a land deal with Dawood Ibrahim associates Salim Patel and Hasina Parkar.
Meanwhile, a rebellion had broken out in the NCP while Malik was in jail and it is yet to be clear whether Malik is with the Sharad Pawar-led NCP or the Ajit Pawar-led faction.
Earlier on Thursday, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar presented Supplementary Demands of Rs 55,520.77 crore in both Houses of the Legislature, the highest in the history of the state.
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