Shinde, Fadnavis discuss Maharashtra-Karnataka border row with Amit Shah

Amid the Maharashtra-Karnataka boundary dispute, the Eknath Shinde-led government on Wednesday apprised the Centre of the chain of events even as the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi reiterated the demand of declaring Belagavi as a union territory till Supreme Court decides on the long-pending issue.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis separately spoke to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, a day after they held telephonic discussions with Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.

Shiv Sena chief spokesperson and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut lashed out at the state government over the issue. “Declare Belgaum (Belagavi) a Union Territory,” Raut told reporters.

Raut also said that people are ready to go to Belgaum under the leadership of NCP President Sharad Pawar.

Read | Border row: Peace prevails in Belagavi amid tight security

"Maharashtra has taken a stand of observing patience and it is still ready to do that. But even that has a limit. In 24 hours, if the attacks on vehicles are not stopped then this patience will take a different path,” Pawar had said even as he declared that if need be he would go to Belgaum.

“Don we know what is happening…? There is a BJP government at the Centre, there is a BJP government in Karnataka and also in Maharashtra,” he said, describing the Shinde-led government as a “lachar sarkar.”

In Mumbai, senior Congress leaders including former Chief Minister Ashok Chavan and Congress Legislature Party leader Balasaheb Thorat met and urged Shinde to call an all-party meeting to discuss the issue.

“It is Bommai who has created a problem on the border issue and disturbed the peace in both states by making unwanted comments on a sub-judice matter,” said NCP national spokesperson Clyde Crasto.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray said the boundary dispute should be resolved amicably through talks.

“The border issue is being raked up keeping in mind the forthcoming Assembly elections in Karnataka,” he said. “All of a sudden, Maharashtra’s border areas are being claimed (by Karnataka) and this is not a simple matter. Someone is deliberately raking up the issue from the Karnataka side,” he said.