Maharashtra Speaker favoring ruling party- faces no-confidence motion

Mumbai, March 05: Assembly Speaker Haribhau Bagade has been given notice of no-confidence motion by the Maharashtra opposition parties on Monday alleging "partisanism". This is the second time in two years when speaker has been issued no-confidence motion notice.

At least 24 members of the Congress, the Nationalist Congress Party and other parties have submitted the notice, accusing the Speaker of favouring the ruling party in the House.

Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil claimed that opposition members are not being allowed by the Speaker to raise issues or speak on major concerns affecting the people of the state.

"It is the job of the Speaker to allow opposition members to speak and enable them to highlight the issues affecting the common man. The Speaker belongs to the House and not to the ruling party. However, Bagade has flouted constitutional norms by allowing the government to avoid debates," Vikhe-Patil alleged.

Senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar alleged that the government is attempting to "crush the voice of opposition members" and democracy is being reduced to 'thokshahi' (mobocracy).