News Analysis India

Tag: Maharashtra BJP

  • Piyush Goyal rejects speculations on change of leadership in Maharashtra BJP

    Union Minister and senior BJP leader Piyush Goyal rejected speculations on a change of leadership in the party’s Maharashtra unit following the party’s dismal performance in the recent Lok Sabha elections.

    Goyal said that the BJP leadership has no such idea and no such discussion has taken place in the party’s core committee meeting. There were speculations that Rao Saheb Patil would be made the state president.

    Earlier on Tuesday, a meeting of the Maharashtra BJP core committee was held at the BJP national headquarters under the leadership of BJP National President JP Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.According to sources, the party’s central leadership has given a road map for the assembly elections in Maharashtra. The reasons for losing the Lok Sabha elections were also discussed in the meeting, they said.

    After the meeting, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis told reporters that all such issues were discussed, including those that had impacted the Lok Sabha election results, and how to overcome those shortcomings in the upcoming assembly elections.

    Fadnavis said that the BJP will enter the fray to contest the assembly elections with full force.Union Ministers Bhupendra Yadav, Ashwini Vaishnav, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, BJP National General Secretary Vinod Tawde, State President Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Pankaja Munde, Ashish Shelar, Chandrakant Patil, and Rao Sahib Patil were present in the meeting.During the meeting, Bhupender Yadav was appointed as the in-charge for Maharashtra and Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw will be the co-in-charge for the state.

    The BJP dipped to nine seats in Maharashtra against 23 in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. The vote share stood at 26.18 per cent. The Congress, on the other hand, marginally improved its seat share by securing 13 seats in the state.

    The Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) won seven and one seats respectively, taking the total tally of the NDA to 17. The Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackrey) got nine seats while the Nationalist Congress Party – Sharadchandra Pawar won eight seats. (ANI)

  • Amit Shah chairs Maharashtra BJP core group meeting at BJP Headquarters in Delhi – The Economic Times Video

    Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday chaired the Maharashtra BJP core group meeting at BJP Headquarters in Delhi to discuss strategies regarding the upcoming polls in Maharashtra. BJP national president JP Nadda, Union Minister and co-incharge of Maharashtra Ashwini Vaishnav and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis attended the meeting.

  • ‘Fadnavis, Shinde will decide further actions’: State BJP chief amid celebrations in saffron camp

    By Online Desk

    MUMBAI: BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis and rebel Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde will now decide the next court of action, state BJP chief Chandrakant Patil said on Wednesday night.

    CM Uddhav Thackeray resigned earlier in the evening, a day before a scheduled floor test in the state Assembly.

    The state BJP unit has asked all its MLAs to gather in Mumbai. To a question about the BJP’s next move, as it is the single largest party in the Maharashtra legislative assembly, Patil said, “The next steps will be decided by Fadnavis and Eknath Shinde.”

    He also said BJP workers “should observe restraint in victory.”

    ALSO READ | ‘Not going away forever, will again sit in Sena Bhavan’: Uddhav’s parting note as CM

    Fadnavis told reporters that “I will tell the party’s stand tomorrow for sure.”

    There will be another round of meeting at the official residence of Fadnavis later tonight, sources said.

    Meanwhile, several BJP legislators and senior leaders gathered at the residence of Fadnavis in Mumbai and congratulated each other over the collapse of the MVA government following the resignation of Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray.

    Many of them said that Fadnavis will soon helm the state.

    Former minister and BJP leader Chandrashekhar Bawankule said, “the truth prevailed, finally”.

    “Fadnavis always used to say that he will return to the House. Now, it’s time. He will come back as the chief minister of Maharashtra,” BJP MLA Nitesh Rane said.

    State party president Chandrakant Patil fed sweets to Fadnavis. Senior BJP leaders Sudhir Mungantiwar and Girish Mahajan were also present.

  • Party can contest and win third Rajya Sabha seat if leadership asks: Maharashtra BJP chief

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrakant Patil on Thursday said his party can field a third candidate for the June 10 Rajya Sabha elections and win that seat too if the central leadership instructed.

    Earlier in the day, the Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Raut and Sanjay Pawar filed their nomination papers for the elections to six Rajya Sabha seats from Maharashtra for which members of the state Assembly will be the electors.

    “If the central leadership instructs us, we will field a third candidate and win that seat as well. Going by the strength in the Assembly, two candidates of BJP can win easily,” Patil told reporters here.

    A candidate will need a quota of 42 votes to win. The BJP has enough votes to win two seats on its own. Ruling alliance partners Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress have the votes to get one candidate each elected separately, but together they can get another candidate elected to the Upper House of Parliament.

    Banking on this arithmetic, the Sena has decided to field two candidates in the election. The BJP has 106 MLAs in the 288-member Assembly.

    The strength of other parties is as follows: Shiv Sena 55, NCP 53, Congress 44, Bahujan Vikas Aghadi three, Samajwadi Party, AIMIM and Prahar Janshakti Party two each, MNS, CPM, Peasants and Workers Party, Rashtriya Samaj Paksha, Swabhimani Party, Jansurajya Shakti and Krantikari Shetkari Party one each.

    There are 13 Independents, while one seat is vacant.

  • ‘Painful, embarrassing for Maharashtra’: BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis decries arrest of Rana couple

    By PTI

    MUMBAI BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday called the arrest of MP Navneet Rana and her husband and MLA Ravi Rana by Mumbai Police “painful” and “embarrassing” for Maharashtra.

    He also said the police did not act when a leader of the ruling Shiv Sena made threatening statements or the car of a BJP leader was attacked, but arrested the Ranas when they arrived in Mumbai to recite the Hanuman Chalisa outside Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s house.

    In a series of tweets, Fadnavis said, “The incidents in Maharashtra are painful. No FIR was filed when Mohit Kamboj’s vehicle was attacked or when a leader talks about burying a woman representative 20 feet under the ground. But when the Rana couple comes to Mumbai to recite Hanuman Chalisa, they are immediately arrested.”

    इतकी दंडुकेशाही इतका अहंकारइतका द्वेषसत्तेचा इतका माजसरकारच करणार हिंसाचारएवढीच तुमची मदुर्मकसत्तेच्या मस्तीत कसेही वागून घ्यापण, जनता सारे काही पाहते आहे !निव्वळ लज्जास्पदलोकशाहीत मत मांडण्याचा अधिकार संपला?लोकशाहीचे गार्‍हाणे गाणारे आज सोयीस्कर गप्प का?
    — Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) April 23, 2022
    Kamboj, a Mumbai BJP leader, had claimed on Friday that his car was attacked near Matoshree, Chief Minister Thackeray’s private residence. Sena leader Raut said earlier on Saturday, without naming any person, that anyone who tried to test the patience of his party would be “buried 20 feet beneath the earth”.

    “Why is there so much arrogance of power? It is the state government that is instigating violence. Is your manhood limited to such behaviour,” Fadnavis, a former chief minister tweeted. “It is an utter embarrassment for the state to witness such a poor show. All this is happening before the people,” he added.

    He also asked if the arrest indicated that “people have lost their right to express their views”, and why those who speak about democratic values were “selectively silent”. Earlier in the day, speaking in Nagpur, Fadnavis said the Shiv Sena-led Maharashtra government’s way of handling the entire episode was “very childish”.

    “If allowed, the Rana couple would have gone there (Matoshree), recited Hanuman Chalisa and returned without creating any news. I don’t understand why so many people had gathered at several places as if they (Rana couple) were planning some attack. What kind of politics is this?” the BJP leader said.

    Mumbai Police on Saturday evening arrested MLA Ravi Rana and his wife, MP Navneet Rana, both Independent legislators from eastern Maharashtra, for allegedly “creating enmity between different groups” after escorting them out of their house in suburban Khar amid high drama.

    The development came hours after the couple cancelled their plan to recite the Hanuman Chalisa outside Uddhav Thackeray’s private residence ‘Matoshree’ here.

  • Plot against BJP leaders? Uddhav govt orders CID probe into Fadnavis’ claims

    Express News Service

    MUMBAI: Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil on Monday announced a Criminal Investigation Department (CID) probe into the allegations raised by opposition leader Devendra Fadnavis that conspiracies to implicate BJP leaders including himself were hatched by Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) leaders at the office of special public prosecutor Pravin Chavan.

    He said this “sting operation” will also be probed. 

    Replying to a debate on law and order in the Lower House, Walse Patil said Pravin Chavan has resigned as the special public prosecutor. “Advocate Pravin Chavan, whose name was raised in the sting operation, have resigned as government advocate. We will verify the details given in the pen drive and CID will carry out the probe. After its report, we will initiate the actions,” Walse Patil said.

    “This sting operation on Pravin Chavan will be probed. There is no question of supporting anyone involved,” the state home minister said.

    On March 8, Fadnavis brought a pen drive containing “proof” to Deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal. He had claimed this pen drive comprised video recordings running into 125 hours, showing how conspiracies were hatched by the police and members of the MVA (Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress) to frame BJP leaders, including himself, in false cases at the office of Pravin Chavan.

    ALSO READ | Illegal phone tapping: Mumbai Police records statement of Fadnavis as BJP leader cries foul

    Fadnavis had said that the video footage showed Chavan talking about how meetings (were held) at the highest level from the chief minister to state DGP to the police commissioner to frame BJP leader Girish Mahajan under MCOCA and arrest him.

    The BJP leader had demanded a CBI probe.

    Fadnavis on Monday said the state government cannot probe the allegations raised by him and insisted on a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation. “The BJP will move the court if our demand is not met, he added.

    BJP MLAs staged a walkout demanding a CBI probe.

    Meanwhile, Walse Patil claimed that the illegal phone tapping between 2015-2019 involved four elected representatives of the BJP.

    “The phone tapping was done illegally under the garb that phones of drug peddlers have been put under surveillance,” he said.

    Speaking in the Assembly, Shiv Sena MLA Bhaskar Jadhav wondered how the contents of the pen drive submitted by Fadnavis to the House found the way in the public domain.

    “The pen drive is the property of the House. How come its contents are available in the public domain. Is it not the breach of the privilege of the House?” he asked.

    Senior NCP leader Jayant Patil said the point raised by Jadhav is valid.

  • Maharashtra Legislative Council adjourned twice amid din over BJP MLC’s remarks

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Maharashtra Legislative Council was adjourned twice on Wednesday after BJP legislator Gopichand Padalkar allegedly made some insulting remarks against Minister of State for Home Shambhuraj Desai and Council’s Deputy Chairperson Neelam Gorhe.

    The House was discussing a proposal by the opposition members over the law and order situation in the state. Padalkar allegedly made some remarks while referring to Desai. As Desai objected to the remarks, senior NCP legislator Satish Chavan joined him and asked Padalkar to tender an apology, but the latter refused to budge.

    Despite Gorhe’s intervention, the ruckus continued, following which the House was adjourned twice for 10 minutes and seven minutes.

  • BJP chief JP Nadda hails SC order holding Maharashtra MLAs’ suspension ‘unconstitutional’

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: BJP president JP Nadda on Friday welcomed the Supreme Court order that held the Maharashtra Assembly decision to suspend 12 BJP MLAs from the House for one year as “unconstitutional” and “irrational”.

    The court’s verdict to reject this decision, which was in violation of democracy and the constitution, is a victory of truth, Nadda said, adding that the BJP will continue to raise its voice against Maharashtra’s Maha Vikas Aghadi government.

    The BJP will always battle for people’s rights in line with the Indian Constitution and democracy, he said. The apex court delivered its verdict on the pleas filed by the 12 BJP MLAs, who had challenged their one-year suspension from the state assembly for allegedly misbehaving with the presiding officer.

    They were suspended for one year on July 5 last year from the Maharashtra Assembly after the state government had accused them of misbehaving with presiding officer Bhaskar Jadhav in the Speaker’s chamber.

  • SC to hear plea challenging suspension of 12 BJP MLAs from Maharashtra Assembly for one year

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court Monday agreed to list for hearing the plea of 12 BJP MLAs from Maharashtra challenging their one-year suspension from the state Legislative Assembly for allegedly misbehaving with the presiding officer.

    A bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana was told by lawyer Siddharth Dharmadhikari that the winter session of the state Assembly is likely to begin and the plea against the suspension of the MLAs needed an urgent hearing.

    “All right, we will give a date (for hearing),” said the bench which also comprised Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli.

    The Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi government led by chief minister Uddhav Thackeray is slated to hold the winter session of the state assembly between December 22 and 28 in Mumbai.

    On July 22, the BJP MLAs had filed the plea challenging the resolution passed by the Assembly to suspend these lawmakers for one year.

    They were suspended on July 5 from the Assembly after the state government had accused them of “misbehaving” with presiding officer Bhaskar Jadhav in the Speaker’s chamber.

    The 12 suspended members are- Sanjay Kute, Ashish Shelar, Abhimanyu Pawar, Girish Mahajan, Atul Bhatkhalkar, Parag Alavani, Harish Pimpale, Yogesh Sagar, Jay Kumar Rawat, Narayan Kuche, Ram Satpute and Bunty Bhangdia.

    The motion to suspend these MLAs was moved by state Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anil Parab and passed by a voice vote.

    Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis had termed the allegation as false and said Jadhav’s account of the incident was “one-sided”.

    “This is a false allegation and an attempt to reduce the numbers of opposition benches, because we exposed the government’s falsehood on the OBC quota in local bodies,” Fadnavis had said, adding that BJP members had not abused the presiding officer.

    However, Jadhav had sought a probe into the allegation that some Shiv Sena members and he himself made uncharitable remarks, and said he was ready to face any punishment if it was proven true.

    “Today is a black day for me. Abusive words were directed at me. Some people are saying I made uncharitable remarks. Let there be a probe into it after checking the CCTV footage. If I have used any inappropriate language, I am ready to face any punishment,” Jadhav had said.

  • BJP will fight elections in Maharashtra on its own: State party chief Chandrakant Patil

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrakant Patil on Tuesday said the party will contest all coming elections in the state without any alliance.

    He was speaking to reporters after inducting former Parbhani district head of the NCP Vijay Varpudkar into the party.

    “We ceded control of the most of the Parbhani district to the Shiv Sena because we had alliance with it in the past. But with Varpudkar and his followers joining us now, the BJP has received more strength. The party will win upcoming polls in the district,” Patil said.

    “BJP workers should not forget that we are going to come to the power on our own. We need to work hard and there is no need to join hands and get cheated in the polls,” he said.

    “From now onwards, we would not have any alliance. We will contest elections on our own,” the state BJP chief added.