MVA's Neelam Gorhe reelected Maha Council's deputy chairperson

Ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi's candidate Neelam Gorhe was on Tuesday re-elected as the deputy chairperson of the Maharashtra Legislative Council. Council Chairman Ramraje Naik Nimbalkar announced that Shiv Sena leader Gorhe was elected "unanimously". Earlier, Leader of Opposition in the Council Pravin Darekar, however, objected to the scheduling of the election on Tuesday in view of the COVID-19 crisis.

Ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi's candidate Neelam Gorhe was on Tuesday re-elected as the deputy chairperson of the Maharashtra Legislative Council. Council Chairman Ramraje Naik Nimbalkar announced that Shiv Sena leader Gorhe was elected "unanimously".

Earlier, Leader of Opposition in the Council Pravin Darekar, however, objected to the scheduling of the election on Tuesday in view of the COVID-19 crisis. He said his party has approached the Bombay High Court, seeking stay on the election as some of its MLCs have been infected by COVID-19 and will be deprived of their fundamental right of voting.

"We have told the high court through a petition that some of our MLCs (infected by COVID-19) will be deprived of their voting rights given by the Constitution, if the election is held," Darekar said. "The high court has scheduled a hearing in this regard on Thursday. Given that the petition is pending before the court, the poll need not be held today. Requesting you to protect our rights," the BJP leader told the chairman.

However, Nimbalkar went ahead with the election, contending that the court does not have jurisdiction over internal proceedings of the House. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, who was introduced to the Upper House on being elected as its member, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and others congratulated Gorhe.

"Neelam Tai reaches out to women whenever they face injustice. She has been elected as the deputy chairperson of the Council for the second time. May she scale further heights," Thackeray said. The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in the state comprises the Shiv Sena, the NCP and the Congress.