Maharashtra monsoon session: Congress MLAs raise slogans against state govt

Pic/Sameer Abedi

Ahead of the monsoon session of the Maharashtra legislature, legislators of the Opposition Congress on Monday shouted slogans against the state government, accusing it of indulging in corruption.

The legislators, led by former minister Yashomati Thakur and Mumbai Congress chief Varsha Gaikwad, assembled on the steps of the Vidhan Bhavan and raised slogans against the government.

From the Shiv Sena (UBT), Aaditya Thackeray and Ambadas Danve, who is the leader of Opposition in the state Legislative Council, was present during the protest.

The Opposition camp including Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, and the NCP (Sharad Pawar group) on Sunday boycotted the customary tea party hosted by the Maharashtra government on the eve of the state legislature's monsoon session.

Danve told reporters on Sunday that they decided to boycott the high tea invitation of the state government as it has failed to solve the woes of people on several fronts.

"This government's validity on constitutional norms is already in question," he said.

He alleged the government seems to have deployed a policy of "misusing" probe agencies to pressure the Opposition and force them to either join the government or face false charges and harassment.

"We are seeing a gory picture of democracy in Maharashtra as several constitutional norms are disregarded. The chief minister of Maharashtra himself is facing disqualification," Danve said.

The Opposition camp including Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, and the NCP (Sharad Pawar group) on Sunday boycotted the customary tea party hosted by the Maharashtra government on the eve of the state legislature's monsoon session, starting Monday.

The tea party was attended by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Dy CM Devendra Fadnavis, and other Cabinet colleagues, including newly-inducted Deputy CM Ajit Pawar of NCP and ministers from his camp.

Earlier in the day, a meeting was organised by the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council Ambadas Danve, who belongs to Shiv Sena (UBT), which was attended by Congress legislative party leader Balasaheb Thorat and Nationalist Congress Party's Jayant Patil.

Notably, the post of the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly is lying vacant after incumbent Ajit Pawar of NCP resigned recently and joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government as Deputy Chief Minister. Eight other MLAs of Ajit Pawar's camp were sworn in as ministers.

(With inputs from PTI)