Former Maharashtra Minister Aaditya Thackeray was on Monday elected the Shiv Sena (UBT) legislature party leader at a meeting of the party legislators in Mumbai. Aaditya, son of party president Uddhav Thackeray, defeated Milind Deora of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena in the recent assembly elections from Worli constituency by 8,801 votes. His winning margin dipped compared to the last elections in 2019, where it was 67,427 votes. The Maharashtra election result was declared on November 23. Senior party leader Ambadas Danve told reporters after the meeting of party legislators that former minister Bhaskar Jadhav was elected the party group leader in the state assembly, while Sunil Prabhu was named the party's chief whip. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
25 November,2024 03:46 PM IST | Mumbai | PTIAtul Londhe, the chief spokesperson of Maharashtra Congress, has urged the Election Commission to take swift action against IPS officer Rashmi Shukla for violating the Model Code of Conduct. This follows reports that Shukla met with Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis while the code was in effect during the recent election period. Londhe, in his statement, questioned why the Election Commission had not taken similar action in BJP-ruled states, referencing a previous instance in Telangana where the Election Commission acted quickly when senior officials met with ministers during election time. “In Telangana, when the Director General of Police and a senior officer met with a senior minister, the Election Commission took immediate action. Why does this not happen in BJP-governed states?” he asked. Londhe further accused Rashmi Shukla of being involved in serious allegations, including the illegal tapping of opposition leaders' phones. The Congress party had previously called for her removal from the position of Director General of Police during the elections, which led to her eventual removal from the post. Despite the results of the Assembly elections being declared, Londhe emphasised that Shukla's meeting with the Home Minister before the expiry of the Model Code of Conduct was a clear violation. He called for immediate and stringent action against her, saying, "Even though the election results are in, Rashmi Shukla’s actions still warrant prompt attention and action from the Election Commission."
25 November,2024 02:07 PM IST | MumbaiShiv Sena leader Shaina NC expressed concerns over the absence of a leader of opposition (LoP) in Maharashtra’s legislative assembly for the first time in the state’s history. In an exclusive interview with ANI on Monday, Shaina NC pointed out that this development was a direct consequence of the actions of the Congress and other opposition parties, which she accused of spreading false narratives and misleading the public. “This is the first time in Maharashtra's history that we will not have a leader in the opposition. This situation reflects the wrong deeds of Congress and the opposition. They spread false narratives and used degrading adjectives to attack us—’maal,’ ‘bakri,’ ‘kutta’—and put forth a vision plan that was utterly dysfunctional,” Shaina NC said. She further explained that the outcome of the recent Maharashtra elections was a clear reflection of the people's desire for progress. According to her, the voters had chosen a vision of "Viksit Bharat" (developed India) and prioritised the development of both the nation and the state of Maharashtra. Shaina NC attributed the defeat of the opposition to their inability to provide a constructive alternative, choosing instead to spread negativity and falsehoods. “The people of Maharashtra voted for the development of Bharat and Maharashtra. They voted for a vision plan that aims to unite everyone, as we say ‘anekta mein ekta’ (unity in diversity). The voters have made it clear that it is better to have no opposition leader than to have a group that spreads falsehoods and causes disruption in public service,” she added. Earlier, Maharashtra BJP President Chandrashekhar Bawankule had also criticised the opposition and announced that the state would not have a Leader of the Opposition in the current legislative assembly. Bawankule attributed this development to the opposition's failure to address people's concerns and their role in misleading voters during the previous Lok Sabha elections. “The absence of an opposition leader is the result of the opposition’s wrongdoings. They misled voters during the Lok Sabha elections with fake narratives. When people realised this, they rejected them in the assembly polls, as they did in Haryana,” Bawankule said. The Maharashtra Legislative Assembly elections, held recently, concluded with the Mahayuti alliance securing a dominant 230 seats out of 288. The BJP, in alliance with Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) and NCP (Ajit Pawar faction), achieved a decisive win with 132 seats, 57 seats, and 41 seats respectively. In contrast, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), led by Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT), secured only 20 seats, Congress won 16, and the NCP (SCP) led by Sharad Pawar managed a mere 10 seats. According to ANI reports, the election results reflect a shift in the state's political landscape, as voters chose to back the development agenda of the ruling Mahayuti alliance, leaving the opposition fragmented and weakened. (With inputs from ANI)
25 November,2024 02:00 PM IST | MumbaiSenior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament, Digvijaya Singh, has raised serious concerns over the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s victory in the recent Maharashtra assembly elections. Singh alleged that the BJP secured its win by manipulating targeted polling booths using Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). The Congress leader’s comments come amid the BJP's sweeping victory in the polls, which saw the party and its allies claim 230 out of the total 288 seats. Singh, who has long been a vocal critic of the BJP, took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his grievances. In his post, he claimed, "The results of the Maharashtra elections unfolded exactly as the BJP wanted. They fielded 148 candidates and secured victories in 132 of these, with a success strike rate of 89 percent." He further suggested that the BJP could form a government even without the support of the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), adding that the victory was the result of manipulation through EVMs. Singh also questioned the performance of the BJP in the Jharkhand elections, where they were defeated by the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-led alliance. "People will ask how did they lose Jharkhand? Just think, isn't Maharashtra more important than Jharkhand for Narendra Modi and Amit Shah?" Singh remarked, pointing out the stark contrast between the BJP’s performance in the two states. The Congress leader went on to demand an immediate discussion between the opposition alliance, INDIA, and the Election Commission of India (ECI) regarding the conduct of elections and the use of EVMs. Singh expressed concerns that the integrity of the electoral process might have been compromised, especially considering the BJP’s high strike rate in Maharashtra. The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance triumphed in Maharashtra, with the BJP winning 132 out of the 148 seats it contested. Its allies, Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) and NCP, secured 57 and 41 seats respectively. The alliance's victory marked a significant setback for the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), with Shiv Sena (UBT) winning only 20 seats, Congress securing 16, and NCP (SCP) led by Sharad Pawar managing just 10 seats. The election results, declared on November 23, saw the BJP-led Mahayuti forming a dominant government, while the MVA, once considered a strong contender, faced a major defeat. In contrast, the Jharkhand assembly elections, held in two phases on November 13 and 20, saw the JMM-led alliance retaining power, with Congress securing 16 seats and the BJP winning just 21 seats. As per ANI, Digvijaya Singh’s allegations have sparked debate over the transparency of the electoral process, particularly the role of EVMs in influencing election outcomes. With the opposition rallying around the issue, the calls for a thorough investigation into the matter are expected to intensify. The Maharashtra assembly elections were held on November 20, with results declared three days later, while the Jharkhand polls saw the JMM-led alliance emerge victorious despite the BJP's efforts. (With inputs from ANI)
25 November,2024 01:54 PM IST | BhopalA Congress rebel, who contested as an independent candidate in the recently concluded Maharashtra state assembly elections against Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, has officially joined the Shiv Sena. Manoj Shinde, who was expelled by the Congress party after he refused to withdraw his candidacy for the Kopri-Pachpakhadi seat in Thane, took the decision to join Shiv Sena on Sunday. In an exclusive interview with PTI, Shinde, who has been a long-time Congress member, expressed his disappointment with the party leadership, particularly their lack of focus on the Thane and Konkan regions. He voiced that Congress had never prioritised these areas, which he believes led to the decline of the party's fortunes and the neglect of its activists. "Congress never took the Thane and Konkan regions seriously. This neglect has had a direct impact on the party's future and on the party workers who dedicated their lives to its cause," Shinde said. His comments reflect long-standing grievances among regional leaders who feel sidelined by the party's central leadership. Shinde, who has been involved with the Congress for over four decades, also raised concerns over the treatment of party workers. He claimed that several grassroots activists, despite their years of service, were left in lower positions with no recognition or opportunities for growth. His frustration with the party's treatment of its loyal members appears to have played a significant role in his decision to break away. "I have spent my entire life serving the Congress, but in the end, I felt that my efforts and those of many others were overlooked. After much reflection, I decided it was time for a change," Shinde remarked. This comes after Manoj Shinde, along with Suresh Patil Khede, was suspended by Congress for six years due to anti-party activities ahead of the election. Despite his suspension, Shinde contested the election as an independent candidate but was defeated by CM Shinde in the race for the Kopri-Pachpakhadi seat. His joining Shiv Sena signals a shift in regional politics, as more Congress leaders are likely to follow suit in the wake of dissatisfaction with the party's leadership. According to PTI, investigations into these developments are ongoing, and the political ramifications of this move are expected to unfold in the coming weeks. (With inputs from PTI)
25 November,2024 01:46 PM IST | MumbaiWestern Maharashtra’s dairy farmers have been dealt a blow as Gokul Milk and other major dairy unions, including Warana and Rajarambapu, have slashed the purchase price of cow’s milk by Rs 3 per litre. This reduction comes immediately after the election results, leaving many farmers in financial distress.Previously, Gokul purchased cow’s milk from farmers at Rs 33 per litre. Now, this rate has dropped to Rs 30 per litre, marking a significant setback for milk producers. While the state government has fixed a standard price of Rs 28 per litre for milk with 3.5% fat and 8.5% SNF starting from October 2024, unions like Gokul have historically offered higher rates. However, the recent reduction has brought their rates closer to the government’s baseline, frustrating farmers who have long campaigned for better prices.This decision has been particularly disheartening as farmers had been agitating for a price hike to Rs 40 per litre. Despite their demands, the current purchase price falls far short of their expectations, leaving them struggling to cover rising costs of production. A subsidy of Rs 5 per litre offered by the government was meant to cushion the impact, but the price cut has eroded this benefit, compounding their difficulties.Adding to farmers’ woes is the widening gap between milk production costs and market rates for dairy products such as milk powder and butter. This imbalance highlights the challenges faced by producers, who feel the pinch of reduced purchasing prices while market products remain profitable for dairy unions.In addition to the milk price reduction, farmers are also grappling with increased operational costs due to a spike in CNG prices. Mahanagar Gas Limited recently raised the cost of CNG by Rs 2 per kilogram, pushing it to Rs 77 per kilogram in Mumbai. This rise affects transportation and logistics costs, further straining farmers’ budgets.The timing of these decisions—immediately after the elections—has sparked criticism from farmers, who view this as an unexpected and unfair setback. As milk producers face mounting challenges, the need for fairer policies to support the dairy sector has become more urgent than ever.
25 November,2024 01:22 PM IST | Mumbai | Anisha ShrivastavaAs reactions fly in thick ‘n’ fast, allies and adversaries say their piece about the maha battle that saw a maha win for the Mahayuti. Niranjan Shetty, chief spokesperson, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Mumbai said, “It is obvious that the people have chosen good and stable governance. The BJP had been accused of playing the communal card. Sentences like: ‘batenge toh katenge’ were cherry-picked from a 45-minute address about development. The BJP’s philosophy is to bring everybody together and unite them. The Mughal emperors wanted to divide us. This time, it was the Opposition trying to divide us on lines of caste and religion, which the people rejected.” Dhrutiman Joshi Swadesh Khetawat, vice-president of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) Konkan Pranth claimed, “People gave voice to what they were feeling, feelings that had been suppressed. That is the crux. When there is an atmosphere that is designed to make a Hindu feel fearful or hesitant to say he is a Hindu and he goes to a temple, somewhere those repressed feelings are going to find expression. Here, it was at the ballot box.” Grassroots RSS worker Dhrutiman Joshi said, “The RSS worked hard on the ground to mobilise some lethargic voters to get out of their homes and vote. The RSS did not tell them who to vote for but to go out and vote. While on the ground I sensed that people were against the appeasement policies of Uddhav Thackeray. There was huge anger. They also disagreed with Rahul Gandhi’s bid of divisive caste politics.” Victorious Congress leader Amin Patel from Mumbadevi stated he wanted to, “thank every voter, though the overall results of the party were not up to expectations.” For Shinde Sena’s Shaina NC who lost from the Mumbadevi constituency, “This mandate makes it clear that the Mahayuti is here to stay. People have accepted a model of good governance. I think vote bank and appeasement politics resonate with some, which is a sad fact. This is till people realise that development will impact and change lives.” The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), though not contesting directly Mumbai working president of AAP Ruben Mascarenhas stated, “The AAP was working to defeat the BJP’s tyranny, corruption and politics of hate in Maharashtra. We humbly accept the mandate of the people. We fought the good fight. There is certainly a need for greater introspection. It will be back to the drawing board for us.”
25 November,2024 01:13 PM IST | Mumbai | Hemal AsharThe Maharashtra Congress has strongly denied rumours of its state president Nana Patole stepping down from his position following the party's poor performance in the recent state assembly elections. Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe has clarified that the reports circulating in the media are baseless and intended to mislead. "Nana Patole has not resigned. The news about his resignation is completely false and malicious," Londhe told Mid-day.The speculation arose after the Congress, as part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, suffered a significant defeat in the Maharashtra assembly elections. Despite this, the party has confirmed that Patole remains committed to his role as state president and has not tendered his resignation.Under Patole’s leadership, the Congress had seen notable success in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, where it secured 13 of the 17 seats it contested in Maharashtra. However, the assembly elections painted a different picture. The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance registered a landslide victory, winning 230 out of 288 seats. Within the alliance, the BJP emerged as the largest party with 132 seats, followed by the Shiv Sena with 57 seats, and the NCP securing 41.Nana Patole himself faced a tough fight in his constituency, Sakoli, where he narrowly held on to his seat with a slim margin of just 208 votes.At a press conference, Patole acknowledged the setback and called the election results unexpected. He refrained from making direct allegations about EVM tampering but stated, “People are wondering how the Mahayuti secured such a big victory. This is something we need to understand and address going forward.”Patole also stressed the importance of holding the newly-elected government accountable. He urged the Mahayuti to fulfil its promises, particularly its commitment to increase the monthly allowance for women under the "Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin" scheme from ₹1,500 to ₹2,100.The Congress has stated its intent to thoroughly review the election outcome and strategise for future challenges. Despite the current challenges, the party reaffirmed its support for Nana Patole’s leadership, dismissing resignation rumours as false and politically motivated.
25 November,2024 01:02 PM IST | Mumbai | Ronak MastakarExpressing happiness over the outcome of the Maharashtra elections 2024, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Pankaja Munde on Saturday said that the response was greater than expected. She slammed the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) saying that the public has rejected fake narratives and has shown acceptance of the politics of development, reported news agency ANI. "It is a very big victory of the Mahayuti...The response was more than we expected...We are very happy as the public has rejected fake narratives and accepted the politics of development..." said Pankaja Munde, reported ANI. In Maharashtra, the BJP led the Mahayuti alliance to a smashing victory, carrying its allies, Shiv Sena and NCP, forward with its momentum. While the BJP has won or is ahead in 133 seats, Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has won or is ahead in 56 seats and NCP led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar is poised to win 41 seats. The state has a total of 288 assembly seats. The constituents of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) suffered a rude jolt with Shiv Sena (UBT) led by Uddhav Thackeray poised to win 20 seats, Congress 16 and NCP(SCP) led by Sharad Pawar only 10 seats. The BJP posted an impressive strike rate with the party poised to win 133 of the 148 seats it contested in Maharashtra. The party's allies Shiv Sena and NCP also achieved a good strike rate. This was the first assembly election after the split between the Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party. Uddhav Thackeray lost his Chief Ministerial position in 2022 due to a split in his party, and he was keen to prove a point in the assembly polls. Eknath Shinde, who became Maharashtra's Chief Minister after the split in Shiv Sena, gained popularity in the last two-and-a-half years due to welfare measures initiated by the Mahayuti government including the Ladki Bahin scheme. (With inputs from ANI)
25 November,2024 12:57 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAs many as 21 women candidates have emerged winner in the elections to the 288-seat Maharashtra assembly, with only one of them from the opposition, according to the Maharashtra elections 2024 poll results, reported PTI. The BJP accounted for the highest number of 14 women candidates emerging victorious, including 10 who were re-elected: Shweta Mahale (Chikli constituency), Meghana Bordikar (Jintur), Devyani Farande (Nashik Central), Seema Hiray (Nashik West), Manda Mhatre (Belapur), Manisha Chaudhari (Dahisar), Vidya Thakur (Goregaon), Madhuri Misal (Parvati), Monica Rajale (Shevgaon) and Namita Mundada (Kaij), reported PTI. The four new women winners of the BJP are Shreejaya Chavan (Bhokar), Sulabha Gaikwad (Kalyan East), Sneha Pandit (Vasai) and Anuradha Chavan (Fulambari), as per the poll results announced by the Election Commission on Saturday. Manjula Gavit (Sakri) and Sanjana Jadhav (Kannad) were elected on the ruling Shiv Sena tickets, reported PTI. Sulbha Khodke (Amravati), Saroj Ahire (Deolali), Sana Malik (Anushaktinagar) and Aditi Tatkare (Shrivardhan) won on the ruling NCP tickets, reported PTI. Congress' Jyoti Gaikwad (Dhavari) will be the lone woman MLA from the opposition's side. The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance on Saturday retained power in Maharashtra, pocketing a whopping 230 of the 288 assembly seats, as the Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi's dream of wresting power fizzled, with the opposition combine managing to garner just 46 seats. The Election Commission announced that the BJP has won 132 seats, the Shiv Sena won 57, while the NCP got 41 seats. In the MVA, the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) candidates won 10 seats, Congress won 16, while Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) won 20 seats. (With inputs from PTI)
25 November,2024 12:56 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has trounced rival Shiv Sena (UBT) of Uddhav Thackeray in 36 assembly seats in Maharashtra, putting to rest the debate over which is the real party founded by late Bal Thackeray. Shinde's Sena, a constituent of the ruling Mahayuti alliance, won 57 of the 81 seats it contested in the state polls, the Maharashtra elections 2024 results of which were announced on Saturday. The Sena (UBT), a partner in the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), managed to bag only 20 despite fielding 95 candidates. In 14 seats, it defeated Shiv Sena candidates. In one of his biggest political gambles, Shinde rebelled against Uddhav Thackeray's leadership in June 2022 and aligned with the BJP along with his backers to become the chief minister. The move split the Sena, led to the collapse of the Thackeray-led MVA government and sparked almost daily bickerings between the two factions. Subsequently, Shinde got the party name and its 'bow-and-arrow' symbol from the Election Commission. Shinde had retained most of the sitting MLAs, who chose to be with him when he led the rebellion two years ago. They delivered for him on Saturday when votes for the state polls were counted. Minister Abdul Sattar defeated Suresh Bankar in Sillod. Pradeep Jaiswal, who fought against Balasaheb Thorat, was the winner in Aurangabad Central. Sanjay Shirsat beat Raju Shinde in Aurangabad West seat, while Vilas Bhumre came on top in his fight against Dattatrey Gorde in Paithan. Chandrakant Sonawane, who replaced his wife and sitting MLA Lata Sonawane, defeated Prabhakar Sonawane of Sena (UBT) in Chopda. Sanjana Jadhav trounced Udaysing Rajput in Kannad, while Sanjay Bangar emerged victorious against Santosh Tarfe in Kalamnuri. Ganesh Dhatrak was bested by Suhas Kande in Nandgaon. Dada Bhuse defeated Prashant Hiray in Malegaon outer. In the tribal-dominated Palghar constituency, Rajendra Gavit beat Jayendra Dubla. In Bhiwandi rural of Thane district, where CM Shinde holds sway, Shantaram More of his party defeated Uddhav's man Mahadev Ghatal. Vishwas Bhoir vanquished Sachin Basare in Kalyan West, while Pratap Sarnaik defeated Naresh Manera in Ovla Majiwada in Thane city. Shinde himself registered a massive victory in his Kopri-Pachpakhadi seat, defeating Kedar Dighe by a margin of 1.2 lakh votes. Prakash Surve trounced Udesh Patekar In Magathane, while Ashok Patil vanquished Ramesh Korgaonkar in Bhandup West. Murji Patel, who had earlier lost to Rutuja Latke in Andheri East, bounced back as the winner. Tukaram Kate defeated Prakash Phaterpekar in Chembur. Both Latke and Phatarpekar were sitting MLAs who had stayed with Uddhav. Bharat Gogawale got more votes than Snehal Jagtap to bag the Mahad seat, while Shambhuraj Desai trounced Bhanupratap Kadam in Patan. In coastal Dapoli, Yogesh Kadam defeated Sanjay Kadam. Minister Uday Samant won against Bal Mane in Ratnagiri, while Kiran Samant beat sitting MLA Rajan Salvi in Rajapur. Nilesh Rane, who switched from BJP to Shiv Sena before the polls, defeated sitting MLA Vaibhav Naik in Kudal. In Sawantwadi near Goa, Deepak Kesarkar got the best of Rajan Teli. Prakash Abitkar defeated KP Patil in Radhanagari. The Sena (UBT) won against the Shiv Sena in 14 seats. In Mehkar, Rambhau Kharat defeated Shiv Sena's Sanjay Bhaskar Raymulkar, while Nitin Bhikanrao Deshmukh was the winner in Balapur. Shiv Sena's Bhagwan Siraskar came third. Sunil Raut defeated Suvarna Karanje in Vikhroli and his Sena (UBT) colleague Anant Nar was the winner in Jogeshwari West after a face-off with Manisha Waikar. Sunil Prabhu defeated Sanjay Nirupam in Dindoshi. Mahesh Sawant beat Sada Sarvankar in Mahim. Uddhav Thackeray's son and former state minister Aaditya Thackeray retained his Worli seat by defeating Milind Deora, who recently joined the Shiv Sena from Congress. Manoj Jamsutkar defeated Yamini Jadhav in Byculla. The vote share of the Sena (UBT) was 9.96 per cent compared to Shiv Sena's 12.38 per cent. The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance on Saturday retained power in Maharashtra, pocketing a whopping 230 of the 288 assembly seats, as the Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi's dream of wresting power fizzled, with the opposition combine managing to garner just 46 seats. The Election Commission announced that the BJP has won 132 seats, the Shiv Sena won 57, while the NCP got 41 seats. In the MVA, the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) candidates won 10 seats, Congress won 16, while Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) won 20 seats. (With inputs from Agencies)
25 November,2024 12:51 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
