Maharashtra Assembly special session: 173 MLAs take oath amid MVA boycott | Bombay News

MUMBAI: The three-day special session of the newly constituted 288-member Legislative Assembly began on a stormy note on Saturday with the departure of MVA MLAs after chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and MP CM Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde sworn oath.
A total of 173 newly elected deputies were sworn in on Saturday. The pro-tem speaker, nine-time BJP MP Kalidas Kolambkar, administered oath to the new MPs.
In the meantime, MVA legislatorsThe claim was that there was large-scale manipulation within the EVMs, following which the BJP-led Mahayuti secured absolute majority in the House of 288. The remaining 155 MLAs will take oath Sunday. MVA deputies are also expected to be sworn in on Sunday.
Significantly, two members of the MVA, Abu Asim Azmi and Rais Shaikh of the SP, defied the boycott call and took oath.
Sena MP (UBT) Aaditya Thackeray said MVA legislators boycotted the oath-taking ceremony as democracy was being assassinated using EVMs. “It is not the mandate of the public, it is the mandate of the EVMs and the Election Commission of India,” Thackeray said. He said Markadwadi village had planned a mock poll using a paper ballot, just to ensure the conduct of voting. “The administration imposed a curfew against the struggle for democracy. Although officially, not much would have changed in terms of government formation, the truth would have come to light… Let mock polls be held across Maharashtra , on the ballot,” he said.
NCP president and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar rejected the MVA. Handling of EVD accusing, saying that they had accepted the Lok Sabha results when it suited them. “If they have a grudge against the use of EVMs, they should approach the Supreme Court or the ECI,” he said.
MPCC president Nana Patole said MVA boycotted the ceremony in protest for “stealing” from the government. “Even though the BJP formed the government after the assembly elections, the public feeling is that this government is not reflecting its votes… Respecting the sentiments of the people of Markadwadi, we have decided not to take oath today” , said Patole. He said the MVA netas would soon meet Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar to decide on the course of action. Former opposition leader Vijay Wadettiwar of the Congress said the results had raised doubts about the entire electoral process.