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Opposition taunts Shiv Sena after silence on One Maharashtra

Party keeps mum inside House as Cong-NCP vehemently protest against separate Vidarbha state.

Party keeps mum inside House as Cong-NCP vehemently protest against separate Vidarbha state.

Taking the Assembly by surprise on Tuesday, Shiv Sena, a party known for its United Maharashtra stand, remained silent when Congress and NCP legislators were vehemently opposing the issue of a separate Vidarbha state after a BJP MP raised it in Parliament last week.

Though Sena MLAs entered the Assembly wearing caps of ‘Akhand Maharashtra’ (United Maharashtra) and holding banners and shouting slogans, the party leaders remained quiet after chief minister Devendra Fadnavis replied in the House that there is no proposal of dividing the state and he is the CM of a United Maharashtra.

Taking this opportunity, the opposition Congress-NCP targeted the Sena by calling them ‘cowards’. They shouted slogans indicating the BJP and Shiv Sena’s political adjustment like “Ya Sinhane Kay Khalla Wagh Khalla Wagh Khalla (the BJP lion ate Sena tiger), Ya Waghane Kay Khalla, gavat khalla gavat khalla (what did tiger eat, grass)”.

The Congress-NCP MLAs did not participate in the House proceedings throughout the day. However, the government pushed its business amid the pandemonium. The House was also adjourned five times on the same issue and then for the day.

After the Assembly began, Leader of Opposition Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil condemned the BJP MP for bringing a resolution of dividing Maharashtra. “BJP’s stand is in favour of a separate Vidarbha but the government should clear its stand,” he said. NCP MLA Jayant Patil said, “The BJP MLAs from Vidarbha got elected because of the influence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They should resign and get elected independently on this issue,” he said.

Shiv Sena MLA Sunil Prabhu also demanded that those MLAs favouring a separate Vidarbha state should resign, as this is the Assembly of United Maharashtra.

In his reply, the CM said he is the chief minister of the United Maharashtra but attacked the Congress and NCP as some of their leaders spoke in favour of the separate Vidarbha. “Congress MLA Vijay Vadettiwar has sent a proposal on July 16, 2016 to the Assembly to hold a discussion on development of Vidarbha and separate statehood. (NCP leader) Praful Patel clearly said on channels that he supports a separate Vidarbha. The Centre has the power to take a decision on the issue. I am the chief minister of United Maharashtra sworn in by the Constitution that gives right to bring resolution about creating new states,” he said.

Trying to downplay the opposition’s protest, Mr Fadnavis said the Sena and BJP have different stands on the issue but they are together in the government.

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