Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray arrives at his private residence Matoshree in Mumbai. He is seen wearing face mask in the wake of coronavirus outbreak in Maharashtra. (Photo: PTI)

The coronavirus pandemic has brought a two-pronged trouble for Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. Being chief minister is the first administrative experience for Uddhav Thackeray. In little over two months after he became CM, Maharashtra recorded its first Covid-19 case on March 9. A healthcare crisis had arrived.

By the March end, the Uddhav Thackeray government was struggling to contain spread of coronavirus. The number of Covid-19 patients surged past 300, with Maharashtra witnessing an exodus of migrant labourers, at times, aided by workers of the ruling parties.

In a month’s time since reporting the first Covid-19 case, Maharashtra accounted for over 20 per cent of all India coronavirus cases. As on April 10, the state had 1,364 positive cases of novel coronavirus. Close to 100 patients have lost their lives and 125 have recovered during this period.

But containing the spread of novel coronavirus is not the only worry for Uddhav Thackeray. Staying in the chair of Maharashtra chief minister is his top political worry now.

Uddhav Thackeray became first from his clan to take oath as a chief minister on November 28, following a fascinating play of politics. He had not contested the assembly election that his party had won in alliance with the BJP and whom it later dumped to tie-up with the NCP and the Congress.

Now the law.

Article 164 of the Constitution says that a minister and so a chief minister shall cease to be one if she/he is not elected as a legislator within six months from the date of appointment to the post.

Maharashtra has a bi-cameral or two chambered legislature: the legislative assembly and a legislative council. Uddhav Thackeray completes six months as chief minister on May 28. He was expected to be elected to the legislative council, election to which had been scheduled for March 26 along with the Rajya Sabha polls.

However, owing to the nationwide outbreak of novel coronavirus, the Election Commission deferred the elections till further notice. Nine legislative council seats to be elected by MLAs -- are falling vacant on April 24. His chief minister’s chair looked secure.

He cannot be elected to the legislative council until the coronavirus-triggered health emergency is brought under control and the Election Commission holds polls.

There is still a way out to which the Maharashtra cabinet resorted on Thursday. Uddhav Thackeray is to be nominated to the legislative council on governor’s quota. If it happens, Uddhav Thackeray will probably be the first nominated MLC to be a state minister.

A nominated Rajya Sabha (legislative council's parallel at the Centre) member has not been appointed a minister in the central government.

This is the pasture of politics.

Governor BS Koshiyari is a BJP veteran, who had hurriedly administered oath to Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar as chief minister and deputy chief minister before Uddhav Thackeray was sworn in. The move was then seen as an attempt to ruin the prospects of Uddhav Thackeray forming the government.

Like the Rajya Sabha, the legislative councils in states have largely been used by political parties as parking lot for politicians who could not be accommodated anywhere else. Election to legislative council normally does not become national headlines unless some big name is in the contention, e.g. when Yogi Adityanath became a Member of UP Legislative Council (MLC) after becoming chief minister of the state.

According to Article 171 of the Constitution, there is a governor quota for nominating one-sixth of the total strength to the legislative councils. Other members are elected by various bodies.

These nominated MLCs are to be “persons having special knowledge or practical experience in respect of such matters as the following, namely: Literature, science, art, co-operative movement and social service.”

The Uddhav Thackeray government has requested Governor Koshiyari to nominate him to the Maharashtra Legislative Council. The Constitution does not fix a time-frame for the governor to accept this recommendation.

There are two current vacancies on account of two resignations -- in the Maharashtra Legislative Council from the governor’s quota. What is interesting is that the terms of both these vacancies end only in mid-June. Technically, Governor Koshiyari has time till mid-June. But Uddhav Thackeray’s six months’ limitation ends on May 28.

Will the governor make it smooth considering the coronavirus situation in Maharashtra? Will Uddhav Thackeray take a fresh oath? Or, will there be a new chief minister in Maharashtra in hopefully waning phase of the coronavirus crisis?