Mumbai/Nagpur: Partners of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) are planning to corner Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government before the commencement of the Winter Session from December 19 in Nagpur.
Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray, Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leaders, in a joint press conference on Monday, announced a protest in Mumbai on December 17. Many other political parties, including Samajwadi Party (SP) and Shetkari Kamgar Paksh will also join the protest.
The controversial remarks against Chhatrapati Shivaji by Governor BS Koshyari and other leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), removal of the governor, farmers’ issue and the border row with Karnataka will be the agenda of the protest.
“Due to the illegal government that has come into existence in the state, the identity of the state is being tarnished. The statement of the governor is damaging the image of Maharashtra,” Uddhav said after the press conference.
“Karnataka CM has claimed the villages of Maharashtra. Industries were going to Gujarat before the Assembly elections. As the Karnataka elections are due next year, will the villages of Maharashtra also go to Karnataka? All these raise a question of whether there is a chief minister in the state or not,” Uddhav said further.
Uddhav Thackeray added that it is not only a political issue, but a question of self-respect of the state. “We want the people of Maharashtra to join the protest,” he said.
When asked about his meeting with VBA chief Prakash Ambedkar, Uddhva said, “Our discussions have been positive. We are working out details. MVA is positive about this coalition.”
Meanwhile, NCP’s Ajit Pawar said that even if the governor is removed, this protest will take place.
” It’s not just about the governor’s statement, but ever since Shinde has formed government in the state, the border villages are demanding to move to another state, which has never happened before,” Pawar said.
