The Mumbai airport provided the setting for a political drama on Thursday morning when Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, who hails from Uttarakhand, reached to board a state government aircraft to fly to Dehradun, only to find that he could not do so.

“Today, when Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari reached Mumbai Airport … (he) was informed that permission for use of aircraft had not been received. Tickets were booked on a commercial aircraft immediately and he left for Dehradun,” Governor’s office said, reports ANI

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In preparation for the visit, the Governor’s secretariat had written to the Maharashtra government seeking permission for use of the aircraft. The office of the Chief Minister was also informed, Governor’s office added.

Former Maharashtra CM and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis called the incident ‘a black chapter’. “It is an unfortunate incident. Governor is not just a person but a constitutional position. This incident is a black chapter for the state,” Fadnavis said.

The Maha Vikas Aghadi government (Shiv Sena-Congress-NCP coalition) of Maharashtra has had a few run-ins with the Governor, the latest being over the state Cabinet’s recommendation of 12 names for the Legislative Council.

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Accusing the Governor of sitting on the recommendations, Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Raut said, “The governor should not make us go to court… The governor is a constitutional post. However, the governor is acting unconstitutionally.’’

Two weeks back NCP chief Sharad Pawar attacked Koshyari for not meeting the agitating farmers, saying that the latter had time to meet actor Kangana Ranaut, but not farmers.

“He has time to meet Kangana (Ranaut), but not for the farmers. It was the ethical responsibility of the governor to meet the agitating farmers and face their delegation. He should have stayed back at the Raj Bhavan, but he has no etiquette. He is a one-off governor in the history of Maharashtra,” Pawar said.