Uddhav’s Sena to host INDIA meeting in Mumbai; leaders to meet State government to discuss logistics and security
The Hindu
INDIA leaders to meet in Mumbai. Leaders of Maha Vikas Aghadi discuss preparations for the two-day meeting at Grand Hyatt. MVA leaders assigned responsibilities for preparations; talks with State government on logistics and security.
The upcoming meeting of the INDIA bloc in Mumbai is significant in view of the Supreme Court staying Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s conviction in a defamation case, Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee chief Nana Patole said on August 5.
The leaders of Maha Vikas Aghadi, including Nationalist Congress Party supremo Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, Congress leaders Prithviraj Chavan, Ashok Chavan, Balasaheb Thorat, Mr. Patole and others held a meeting at Nehru Centre at Worli here to discuss preparations for the upcoming meeting of the INDIA grouping, which will be held on August 31 and September 1.
NCP State unit chief Jayant Patil, national president Supriya Sule, Mr. Thackeray’s loyalists Anil Desai and Subhash Desai, were present during the meeting.
“The INDIA alliance is against the dictatorial Central government and the first victory was achieved with the SC staying Mr. Gandhi‘s conviction in the defamation case,” Mr. Patole said.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut confirmed that his party would host the third meeting of INDIA. This will be the first meeting of the bloc to be held in a State where its partners are not in power. The first meeting was held in Patna, while the second one was in Bengaluru.
“The two-day deliberations, which will be held at Grand Hyatt here, will begin in the evening of August 31 and from 10 a.m. on September 1. The meeting will be followed by a press conference,” Mr. Raut said, adding that Mr. Thackeray will host a dinner for the Opposition leaders, including Chief Ministers of five States, on the first day.
Mr. Raut said that the MVA leaders had been assigned responsibilities for preparations of the two-day meeting, and some of them will hold talks with the State government on issues of logistics and security for the visiting INDIA leaders.
The Opposition Congress demanded that the government open the Gandhi Vatika Museum, depicting Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy and freedom struggle, built at a cost of ₹85 crore in Jaipur’s Central Park last year, during the Congress-led regime in Rajasthan. The museum has not been opened to the public, reportedly because of the administration’s engagements with the State Assembly and Lok Sabha elections.
Almaya Munnettam (Lay People to the Fore), group in the Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese of the Syro-Malabar Church opposed to the synod-recommended Mass, rejected a circular issued by Major Archbishop Raphael Thattil and apostolic administrator Bosco Puthur on June 9 to implement the unified Mass in the archdiocese from July 3.
Pakistan coach Gary Kirsten stated that “not so great decision making” contributed to his side’s defeat to India in the Group-A T20 World Cup clash here on Sunday. The batting unit came apart in the chase, after being well placed at 72 for two. With 48 runs needed from eight overs, Pakistan found a way to panic and lose. “Maybe not so great decision making,” Kirsten said at the post-match press conference, when asked to explain the loss.