Maharashtra Opposition boycotts tea party on Assembly session eve

Opposition MVA boycotts tea party before Maharashtra Assembly budget session, citing concerns over rising crime against women.

On the eve of the Assembly’s budget session in Maharashtra, the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) parties boycotted the customary tea party to raise concerns over the pressing issues such as rising crime against women. The Budget session starting from March 5 will run till March 26.

The MVA decided to boycott the tea party at a meeting held at the residence of Shiv Sena (UBT) legislator and leader of the Legislative Council, Ambadas Danve.

Mr. Danve told journalists that none of their suggestions were entertained by the State government. “In our letter to the Chief Minister we mentioned that if they [the Opposition] attend the tea party, it will be an insult to farmers, workers and citizens. From excess land given to the Adani Group for Dharavi slum redevelopment to the controversy of French company Systra’s allegation of corruption and severe harassment charges against MMRDA, to farmers distress, to rising crime cases against women in the State... in none of the issues, the ruling government has shown seriousness to end people’s problems. We are expressing our anger against the State government.”

Addressing a press conference after a Cabinet meeting and a customary tea party ahead of the four-week Budget session, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis lashed out at the Opposition for boycotting the tea party and said, “There are nine pages letter from the Opposition with names of nine opposition leaders of which seven have signed the letter raising issues that are all based on media reports. If they had read what the government has responded to those reports, then they could not have written half a page of this letter.”

Mr. Fadnavis further said that every time the ruling government had invited the Opposition for a discussion, they have boycotted. “None of the senior opposition leaders were present at the meeting. Instead of ‘hum saath saath hai’ (we are together), it’s ‘hum aapke hai kaun’ (who are we to you?) being played out in the opposition camp. However, we will introduce five Bills during the session, hold two debates on women empowerment and the Constitution. We will place a balanced budget on March 10 to ensure a fiscal discipline in the State. The Ladki Bahin scheme will continue to serve the beneficiaries, but the ineligible ones will be unlisted from the scheme.”

Denying claims made by the Opposition on his bitter relationship with Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Mr. Fadnavis said, “We are all working unitedly in Mahayuti. There is no war among us. People know what we are capable of when we are working together. It is not true that after I became the Chief Minister, I have stayed decisions made during Mr. Shinde’s regime.”