The parliament has seen repeated disruptions in the second leg of budget session. (File)
With next to no work done in parliament in the second half of the budget session due to repeated adjournments and disruptions, the Shiv Sena on Thursday pinned the blame for the logjam on the government. The reason for parliament not functioning, according to Shiv Sena lawmaker Arvind Sawant, was the upcoming elections in Karnataka.
"We feel that the government did not want the House to function and Karnataka polls was the reason behind it," the Shiv Sena lawmaker from Southwest Mumbai said.
Mr Sawant alleged that the central government did not form the Cauvery River Water Management Board despite the Supreme Court's order because it does not want to alienate voters in Karnataka, which is opposed to the top court's directive - a charge that is often levelled by political parties in Tamil Nadu. The Cauvery River Water Management Board will implement a water sharing formula among Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry.
Lawmakers of Tamil Nadu's ruling AIADMK have been protesting in Lok Sabha over the constitution of the Cauvery Management Board, causing
repeated disruptions. Referring to these protests, Mr Sawant said Speaker Sumitra Mahajan did not use strong words or rebuke the protesting MPs from Tamil Nadu.
The Opposition has alleged parties such as the AIADMK, which are known to be friendly to the ruling BJP, blocked all business in house to ensure that a no-trust motion against the Narendra Modi government, proposed by opposition parties, was not taken up.
Parliament has not carried out any substantial work over the last 22 days. The second part of the session, which began on March 5, is scheduled to end on Friday.
On Wednesday, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar had announced that lawmakers of the BJP-led ruling coalition would not take their salaries and allowances, voluntary giving up their earnings amid a long-running debate on a "no work, no pay" rule for MPs.
The move was seen as an attempt to blame the opposition for the disruptions as those parties had moved a no-confidence motion against the government.
But the Shiv Sena on Thursday said it is "not on the same page" with the BJP on the issue of the NDA MPs forgoing their salary.
"This is not the question of salary. We, as MPs, have been doing our work. Even if
Parliament was not functioning, we have held meetings with ministries to address the problems faced by our people," he said.
With its 18 MPs, the Shiv Sena is the second largest member of the NDA. Relationship between the two allies has been strained for months, and has seen the Udhav Thackeray led Shiv Sena make regular jabs at the BJP and the central government, of which it continues to be a part for now.
(With inputs from PTI)