Mumbai Maharashtra governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, who is at centre of controversy over his remarks on Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji, is due to make an unscheduled trip to Delhi on Thursday, fuelling speculations whether it is connection with the ongoing controversy Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar claimed that the Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari had told Ajit Pawar that he wanted to be relieved of his post. While expressing disapproval about Koshyari’s recent remarks about Shivaji Maharaj, he also wondered if Koshyari was making such controversial statements only to force the Union government to shift him out of Maharashtra.
“Many times when I visited governor Koshyari at Raj Bhavan, he told me in as many words that he wanted to leave the state,” Pawar said. “I even asked him to convey this to his seniors so that they consider his wish,” said the Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly. “He should not have said such things,” Pawar said, referring to the remark about Shivaji Maharaj.
BJP MP Chhatrapati Udayanraje Bhosale on Gov Koshiyari’s statement “Governor has been summoned to Delhi. I think they will replace him & they should replace him. He is creating disharmony among people at large. This is not going to stop unless a solution is provided”.
Governor has crossed all limits; President & PM should intervene in this matter. It is not right to give big posts to people who make irresponsible statements: NCP chief Sharad Pawar.
Koshyari’s remarks that King Shivaji was an old idol, has landed him in trouble with opposition parties, as well as three descendants of the Maratha king. The two descendants who are currently with the BJP have sought action against the governor. The opposition parties have demanded his repatriation for “the insult to king Shivaji.”
Chief minister Eknath Shinde-led Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena too has conveyed its unhappiness over Koshyari’s remarks to the BJP, who have now distanced itself from his comments.
Koshyari will be leaving for Delhi on November 24 and will return the next day — November 25. There is no confirmation from Raj Bhavan about who he will be meeting during the trip. However, it is being speculated that Koshyari will hold a meeting with the union home minister Amit Shah.
