For only the fourth time, Maharashtra’s monsoon session to be held in Nagpur

The Bharatiya Janata Party has decided to go ahead with its proposal of holding the monsoon session of the Assembly in Nagpur from July 4. Maharashtra Governor C. Vidyasagar Rao issued directions to this effect on Friday. This will be only the fourth time in the history of Maharashtra when the monsoon session will be held in Nagpur.

Last month, Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray had said that the monsoon session does not have to be held in Napgur. “The government should instead focus on taking people-friendly decisions,” Mr. Thackeray had said.

The State government had formed a sub-committee of three Ministers, including Parliamentary Affairs Minister Girish Bapat and Finance Minister Sudhir Mungunitwar from the BJP and Industries Minister Subhash Desai from the Sena to look into the matter. The BJP has been pushing the idea of holding the monsoon session in Vidarbha (Nagpur) and the State Cabinet too had given its in-principle approval to the proposal.

Opposition parties, including the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party, have said that they will have no problem if the monsoon session is held in Nagpur. As a prevalent practice, the winter session is held in Nagpur while the monsoon session is held in Mumbai.

When contacted Sena MP Sanjay Raut said that the decision was taken by the State government and party’s representatives in the State legislature would convey the party’s position. Mr. Desai was not available for comment.