Opposition leaders meeting in Mumbai on eve of Maharashtra legislature session
Credit: Special Arrangement
Mumbai: Slamming the Devendra Fadnavis-led Maha Yuti dispensation for lack of coordination, rampant corruption, the forceful imposition of Hindi, and insensitivity to the cause of farmers, the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi boycotted the customary tea meeting on the eve of the monsoon session of the Maharashtra legislature.
There is a lack of coordination among Fadnavis and his deputies—Eknath Shinde, the chief leader of Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar, the NCP president—leaders of the Congress-Shiv Sena (UBT)-NCP (SP) told reporters after a meeting on Sunday.
“There is no coordination among them… the three of them look in different directions,” said Worli MLA and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray.
After the meeting, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, Ambadas Danve, shot off a letter to Fadnavis, drawing his attention to the burning issues.
The letter mentions instances of inappropriate language used against farmers by State Agriculture Minister and NCP leader Manikrao Kokate and BJP MLA Babanrao Lonikar.
“From the forced implementation of the Shaktipeeth Expressway to the failure to provide buses to MSRTC, non-payment of dues to private contractors, and injustice in the Vaishali Hagawane dowry harassment-suicide case in Pune, this government has lost the moral right to seek cooperation,” said Danve.
The opposition leaders also slammed State School Education Minister Dada Bhuse.
“The first list for 11th standard admissions appears to be tainted with corruption,” said Aaditya, criticizing Bhuse of the Shiv Sena.
Aaditya also criticised the state government for "tacitly backing" the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), which he claimed was imposing "unjust" fines to the tune of ₹12.50 crore on motorists using the Mumbai-Pune Expressway.
He also pointed out that the driver of Lok Sabha MP Sandipan Bhumre of Shiv Sena had received a huge parcel of land from the descendants of the erstwhile royal Salar Jung family of Hyderabad, raising suspicion of irregular land deals.
Congress Legislature Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar said that agrarian distress is a matter of serious concern.