Maharashtra Cabinet recommends CM Uddhav Thackeray for Legislative Council

The Maharashtra Cabinet on Thursday decided to recommend Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's name for one of the two vacant MLC seats that are to be nominated by Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari to the legislative council to avoid a constitutional crisis, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik said on Thursday.

"As MLC elections cannnot be held due to COVID-19, it is being done to avoid a constitutional crisis," said Malik after the meeting was concluded.

Today's Cabinet meeting was chaired by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.

"According to the constitution the Chief Minister has to become a member of a House within six months of the government formation and there are two seats from Governor quote vacant which are to be nominated by him. Uddhav Thackeray is not a member of any House yet," he added. Maharashtra has a bicameral legislature with both the Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council.

Nawab further informed that Cabinet has also taken a decision to avoid giving media bytes regarding the matter.

Uddhav was sworn-in as the Chief Minister of the State by the Governor in November 2019.

( With inputs from ANI )