Despite repeated announcements, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray did not come to the legislature to attend the winter session which concluded on Tuesday. Thackeray, who is recovering from spine surgery had recently visited the Vidhan Bhavan, was expected to attend the proceedings but amid rising COVID-19 and Omicron cases he preferred to work from his official residence Varsha.
Thackeray had virtually attended the cabinet meeting on December 21 and again on December 23. He had thereafter chaired the Task Force on COVID 19 through video conference.
CM also virtually chaired the cabinet meeting held on December 27.
Thackeray's absence on the first day of the Maharashtra assembly session on December 22 had tongues wagging about his health. Most upfront on the matter was state BJP chief Chandrakant Patil.
‘‘If the chief minister is unable to attend the winter session, he should designate someone to carry out the business. It is inappropriate that the CM remains absent from legislature proceedings," Patil had said, constraining Tourism Minister Aaditya Thackeray to make an intervention.
‘’The Chief Minister's condition is fine. I have spoken to him on the phone. He will come whenever he wants to," said Aaditya.
Patil had suggested that Aaditya can be given a charge if the Chief Minister doesn't trust the Congress and the NCP.
