Assembly adjourned after paying tributes to Navalkar

Nagpur, Nov 21 (UNI) The Maharashtra Legislative Assembly adjourned here today after paying tributes to former minister and former legislator Pramod Navalkar, who passed away in Mumbai yesterday.

Moving the condolence resolution, Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh said although Navalkar was a former member, the proceedings should be adjourned to pay respect, as an exceptional case considering the long innings that he had as a member of both the Houses of the legislature and as a minister.

Navalkar was elected to the Legislative Assembly from Girgaum constituency in 1972, Mr Deshmukh said, and described him as an accomplished litterateur and a studious politician.

The House also condoled the death of former member Bhimrao Apparao Deshmukh who represented Umarkhed constituency in Yavatmal district of Vidarbha region in the House from 1985 to 1990, and who passed away on October 28 last.

Those who paid tributes to the late former members were Minister for Revenue Narayan Rane, Minister for Public Works Chhagan Bhujbal, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Harshavardhan Patil, Prataprao Jadhav and Gajanan Kirtikar (both Shiv Sena), Eknathrao Khadse and Gopinath Munde (both BJP), Ganpatrao Deshmukh (PWP), Narsayya Adam (CPM) and Wamanrao Chatap (SBP).

Speaker Babasaheb Kupekar also paid his condolences. The members observed a two-minute silence as a mark of tribute to the departed souls before the proceedings were adjourned for the day.

UNI