CM fails to meet NCP leaders

Chief minister Prithviraj Chavan on Sunday cancelled his visit to Thane where he was expected to meet NCP leaders who were on a hunger strike. The leaders, including two MPs and an MLA, had been on a hunger strike for two days over the demand of implementation of cluster development in Thane district. The CM was scheduled to visit Thane to attend a Congress party function on Sunday and the NCP expected him to meet the leaders on hunger strike and give them some assurance. Finally, state executive president of NCP and Mumbra MLA Jitendra Awhad withdrew his fast on Sunday after an assurance from Uday Samant, state minister for urban development, on behalf of the CM. Mr Awhad, along with with MPs Sanjeev Naik and Anand Paranjape, had been on hunger strike for two days. Mr Samant had assured that a meeting will be called within a month at Mantralaya and the policy on cluster development will be declared, Mr Chavan and Mr Awhad confirmed. “I am satisfied with the CM’s assurance,” said Mr Awhad. He further said, “I did not expect the CM to come to Thane and visit the place of agitation. On behalf of the CM and government, Mr Samant has assured that primary procedures regarding proposal of cluster development would be completed within four to five days. A meeting would be called and the policy for Thane will be declared within a month.” After incidents of building collapse in Mumbra, local politicians from Thane have started demanding redevelopment of illegal and dilapidated buildings from Thane’s Wartak Nagar and Mumbra areas. All party leaders, including Mr Awhad, Eknath Shinde, Rajan Vichare and Pratap Sarnaik from Shiv Sena raised the issue in the Assembly. The Congress and Shiv Sena delegations had met the CM on Friday on this issue. Mr Awhad claimed that he met the CM on Friday before the meeting with Congress and Shiv Sena delegations took place. “My objective behind the agitation was not to take credit. I want justice for lakhs of people who are living in the worst conditions,” he said.