In yet another about-turn on a BJP policy decision, the MVA government has decided to scrap the Devendra Fadnavis regime's decision to elect sarpanch (village heads) directly from among the people.
Instead, the sarpanch will now be elected from among the village panchayat members. The final nod for this will be given in the state Cabinet meeting to be chaired by Chief MInister Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday.
State Rural Development Minister and NCP leader Hasan Mushrif on January 22 had said an Ordinance will soon be placed before the Cabinet to pave the way for electing sarpanch from among village panchayat members.
The Fadnavis government had in 2017 brought an ordinance to ensure that sarpanch were elected directly from among the people. It had given an advantage to the BJP enabling it to tighten its grip on the traditional bastions of the Congress and the NCP. Asked about the rationale behind the proposed move, Contd. on P7
