‘Anti-BJP’ parties seek MVA’s support for Bharat Bandh

More than 200 leaders from nearly 100 organisations took part in the meeting at Bhupesh Gupta Bhawan, Prabhadevi, in support of the Bharat Bandh. Pic/Ashish Raje

All India Kisan Sabha national president Ashok Dhawale and NCP MLC Vidya Chavan met Congress state president and former speaker of the state assembly Nana Patole, NCP state president and minister Jayant Patil, deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and minister Jitendra Avhad on Monday, and appealed to the parties to lend support to the Samyukt Kisan Morcha's call for a Bharat Bandh on September 27.

Later in the evening, a state-level meeting of the leaders of "all anti-BJP parties" and organisations of farmers, agricultural labourers, organised and unorganised workers, employees, women, youth, students, teachers and other sections, and eminent individuals from different fields, was held at the Bhupesh Gupta Bhawan in Prabhadevi. More than 200 leaders from nearly 100 organisations took part in it.

Speaking to mid-day, Dhawale said, "We met the political leaders today. They have been quite forthcoming. They will hold a meeting and will let us know if we have the support of the MVA. We hope that we do." A press statement undersigned by the Jan Andolananchi Sangharsh Samiti, Samyukta Shetkari Kamgar Morcha, All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee, Trade Unions Joint Action Committee, Unorganized Workers Struggle Committee and Hum Bharat Ke Log/Nation for Farmers, said, "All of them (political leaders) promised the support of the ruling MVA parties to the
Bharat Bandh."

The meeting at Prabhadevi was attended by Vidya Chavan (NCP), Ulka Mahajan (Sarvahara Jan Andolan), Teesta Setalvad (Sabrang India), Raju Korde (PWP), Meraj Siddiqui (SP), Dhananjay Shinde (AAP), Prabhakar Narkar (JD-S), Dr S K Rege (CPI-M), Prakash Reddy (CPI), Feroz Mithiborwala (HBKL), Anil Tyagi (SUCI), Kishor Dhamale (SCP), Subhash Kakuste (LNP), Dr Vivek Monteiro (CITU), Prof Tapati Mukhopadhyay (MFUCTO), Milind Ranade (NTUI), Yuvraj Ghatkal (NAPM), Prachi Hatiwlekar (AIDWA) and leaders of several other organisations.

Feroz Mithiborwala of Hum Bharat Ke Log, said, "The meeting that we had to discuss the strategy for the September 27 bandh was excellent. We are currently in talks with the MVA to convince them to come out in solidarity with the Bharat Bandh."