Tag: Maharashtra Congress

  • “Congress’ long-term plan to create rift with help of lies”: Maharashtra Dy CM on claims of Atal Setu cracks

    Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday asserted that there is “no danger” to Atal Setu and termed the allegations as part of Congress’ “long-term plan to create a rift with the help of lies.”

    This comes after Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole on Friday inspected the cracks spotted on the Mumbai-Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) and alleged that these cracks are the result of corruption.

    “There is no crack on Atal Setu. Nor is there any danger to Atal Setu. This picture is of the approach road. But one thing is clear the Congress party has made a long-term plan to create a rift with the help of lies. Talks of constitutional amendments during elections, unlocking of EVMs through phone after elections and now such lies. Only the people of the country will defeat this ‘Darar’ plan and the corrupt behaviour of Congress,” Devendra Fadnavis posted on X.The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) clarified that minor cracks were found on the approach road connecting Atal Setu in Ulwe, which is not a part of the bridge but is a service road connecting the bridge.

    MMRDA stated that the cracks are not due to structural defects in the project and do not pose any threat to the structure of the bridge.

    MMRDA also labelled the news as ‘rumours’ and urged the citizens not to believe them.According to MMRDA, these minor cracks were already noticed at three places on Ramp No 5, from Ulwe towards Mumbai, on Thursday during an inspection by the Operation and Maintenance Team of the Project and require immediate repair. Strabag, the contractor of Package 4 of the Atal Setu project, has started the repair work in the said area and the work will be completed within 24 hours without any disruption to the traffic on the bridge.The official statement reads, “It has been noticed that there is no crack in the main part of Atal Setu Bridge but rumours are being spread in various media about it. Please don’t believe the rumours. Minor cracks have been found on the approach road connecting Atal Setu. The said footpath is not a part of the main bridge but is a service road connecting the bridge. It is also very important to note that the cracks are not due to structural defects in the project and do not pose any threat to the structure of the bridge.”

    “During the inspection on 20th June 2024 by the Operation and Maintenance Team of the project, minor cracks were noticed at three places on Ramp No. 5 asphalt from Ulwe towards Mumbai which require immediate repair. M/s Strabag, the contractor of Package 4 of the Atal Setu project, has started the repair work in the said area and the work will be completed within 24 hours without any disruption to the traffic on the bridge.”

    In a social media post to X, MMRDA wrote, “There have been rumours circulating about cracks on the MTHL bridge. We want to clarify that these cracks are not on the bridge itself but on the approach road connecting MTHL from Ulwe towards Mumbai.”

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Sewari-Nhava Sheva Atal Setu, India’s longest bridge, in Maharashtra on January 12, 2024.

    Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis were also present on the occasion.

    Atal Setu is also the longest sea bridge in the country.

    Atal Setu provides faster connectivity to Mumbai International Airport and Navi Mumbai International Airport and reduces travel time from Mumbai to Pune, Goa and South India.

    The foundation stone of the bridge was also laid by the Prime Minister in December 2016.

    Atal Setu has been constructed at a total cost of more than Rs 17,840 crore.

    It is a 21.8-kilometer-long, 6-lane bridge with about 16.5 km of length over sea and about 5.5 km of length on land.

  • Shinde govt came into being due to corruption and fear, alleges Maharashtra Congress chief Patole

    By PTI

    NANDED: Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole on Sunday alleged that the Eknath Shinde-led government in the state came into existence due to corruption and out of fear.

    Addressing a press conference here, Patole also claimed that the expansion of the state cabinet was not being done because the government can collapse.

    “Why is the chief minister not going for cabinet expansion? It is because this government can collapse. This regime came into existence due to corruption and fear. One cabinet minister is in charge of six districts. What is happening in Maharashtra?” he asked.

    Patole said CM Shinde keeps blaming the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) all the time.

    READ MORE | Bonhomie between BJP, Shinde faction, and MNS increases, will it translate into new political alignment in Maha?

    “But he along with many of the existing ministers were part of the MVA,” the Congress leader added.

    The Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA government collapsed on June 29 this year following a revolt by 40 Shiv Sena MLAs, led by Shinde, against the party leadership.

    The next day, Shinde took oath as the chief minister with senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Devendra Fadnavis becoming his deputy.

    The first cabinet expansion of this government took place on August 9, forty days after Shinde became the CM.

    The state council of ministers at present has 18 cabinet ministers, including Shinde. There are nine ministers each from the Shinde-led faction of the Shiv Sena and its ally BJP. The council of ministers can have up to 43 members in Maharashtra.

    NANDED: Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole on Sunday alleged that the Eknath Shinde-led government in the state came into existence due to corruption and out of fear.

    Addressing a press conference here, Patole also claimed that the expansion of the state cabinet was not being done because the government can collapse.

    “Why is the chief minister not going for cabinet expansion? It is because this government can collapse. This regime came into existence due to corruption and fear. One cabinet minister is in charge of six districts. What is happening in Maharashtra?” he asked.

    Patole said CM Shinde keeps blaming the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) all the time.

    READ MORE | Bonhomie between BJP, Shinde faction, and MNS increases, will it translate into new political alignment in Maha?

    “But he along with many of the existing ministers were part of the MVA,” the Congress leader added.

    The Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA government collapsed on June 29 this year following a revolt by 40 Shiv Sena MLAs, led by Shinde, against the party leadership.

    The next day, Shinde took oath as the chief minister with senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Devendra Fadnavis becoming his deputy.

    The first cabinet expansion of this government took place on August 9, forty days after Shinde became the CM.

    The state council of ministers at present has 18 cabinet ministers, including Shinde. There are nine ministers each from the Shinde-led faction of the Shiv Sena and its ally BJP. The council of ministers can have up to 43 members in Maharashtra.

  • Maharashtra Congress leaders detained before protest; ‘thousands’ of party workers taken into custody

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Police on Friday detained several Maharashtra Congress leaders outside the Vidhan Bhavan here before their planned protest against the Centre over price rise and other issues, with the party claiming that thousands of its workers were taken into preventive custody across the city.

    Following the action, the party leaders slammed the central and the state governments for trying to “suppress” the opposition’s voice.

    The Congress on Friday held a nationwide stir against price rise, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) hike on essential items and unemployment.

    State Congress president Nana Patole and former ministers Balasaheb Thorat, Varsha Gaikwad, Naseem Khan, Chandrakant Handore were among some of the senior leaders who were detained outside the Vidhan Bhavan, the state legislature complex in south Mumbai, before they could proceed to the Raj Bhavan for the protest.

    These leaders said they had planned to carry out a protest march to the Raj Bhavan, the official residence of the governor in south Mumbai, to protest against the Centre’s policies.

    As per the plan announced on Thursday, the march was to begin from Hanging Garden and culminate at the Raj Bhavan around 11 am.

    A heavy deployment of police was put in place outside the Vidhan Bhavan, where the Congress leaders held a meeting.

    READ HERE | ‘Democracy is dead in India’: Congress leaders choose black outfits to protest against price rise

    As they came out of the building, the police personnel prevented them from proceeding towards the Raj Bhavan, located a few kilometres away.

    Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat told the police that it was their right to stage an agitation over the issues concerning people, including rising inflation.

    “Even in the British rule, peaceful protests were allowed. But under the ‘ED’ government, even this is not possible,” Thorat told them in an apparent reference to Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis government in the state.

    Former chief minister Ashok Chavan said the Congress planned to hold a peaceful protest.

    A police official told the Congress leaders that they can hold a protest at Azad Maidan.

    But the party leaders refused to budge, following which the police detained them and taken to the Azad Maidan police station before being released later.

    Police said that notices had been sent to several Congress leaders in Mumbai, reminding them that prohibitory orders were in place, which prevents gathering of five or more people at one place.

    Talking to reporters in the afternoon, senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan alleged that the Narendra Modi government has lost control over the economy and wondered why the Shinde-Fadnavis government was scared of the Congress taking to streets to protest against issues concerning common people.

    “Why are the governments led by Modi and Shinde-Fadnavis scared if we hold peaceful protests to highlight the issues concerning the common man. Our leaders and workers were detained before we could start the protest. In Mumbai alone, as many as 10,000 party workers were held ahead of the protests,” he claimed.

    Modi government has failed to handle the economy, due to which the cost of living has gone up, he alleged.

    “How can Modi and Fadnavis suppress our right?” Chavan asked.

    The former chief minister charged that the Agnipath defence recruitment scheme compromises with the national security.

    “China poses a serious challenge in Ladakh and the government is silent,” he said.

    Nana Patole said that attempts to suppress their voice would not succeed.

    “The Congress launched a nationwide protest against rising fuel prices, inflation, unemployment, rise in GST and Agnipath scheme. We just wanted to meet the governor and protest before him on these issues,” he said.

    Meanwhile, in Nagpur, Congress staged a protest outside the district collectorate.

    Several Congress workers and leaders raised slogans against the Centre.

    They were detained by the police.

    MUMBAI: Police on Friday detained several Maharashtra Congress leaders outside the Vidhan Bhavan here before their planned protest against the Centre over price rise and other issues, with the party claiming that thousands of its workers were taken into preventive custody across the city.

    Following the action, the party leaders slammed the central and the state governments for trying to “suppress” the opposition’s voice.

    The Congress on Friday held a nationwide stir against price rise, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) hike on essential items and unemployment.

    State Congress president Nana Patole and former ministers Balasaheb Thorat, Varsha Gaikwad, Naseem Khan, Chandrakant Handore were among some of the senior leaders who were detained outside the Vidhan Bhavan, the state legislature complex in south Mumbai, before they could proceed to the Raj Bhavan for the protest.

    These leaders said they had planned to carry out a protest march to the Raj Bhavan, the official residence of the governor in south Mumbai, to protest against the Centre’s policies.

    As per the plan announced on Thursday, the march was to begin from Hanging Garden and culminate at the Raj Bhavan around 11 am.

    A heavy deployment of police was put in place outside the Vidhan Bhavan, where the Congress leaders held a meeting.

    READ HERE | ‘Democracy is dead in India’: Congress leaders choose black outfits to protest against price rise

    As they came out of the building, the police personnel prevented them from proceeding towards the Raj Bhavan, located a few kilometres away.

    Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat told the police that it was their right to stage an agitation over the issues concerning people, including rising inflation.

    “Even in the British rule, peaceful protests were allowed. But under the ‘ED’ government, even this is not possible,” Thorat told them in an apparent reference to Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis government in the state.

    Former chief minister Ashok Chavan said the Congress planned to hold a peaceful protest.

    A police official told the Congress leaders that they can hold a protest at Azad Maidan.

    But the party leaders refused to budge, following which the police detained them and taken to the Azad Maidan police station before being released later.

    Police said that notices had been sent to several Congress leaders in Mumbai, reminding them that prohibitory orders were in place, which prevents gathering of five or more people at one place.

    Talking to reporters in the afternoon, senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan alleged that the Narendra Modi government has lost control over the economy and wondered why the Shinde-Fadnavis government was scared of the Congress taking to streets to protest against issues concerning common people.

    “Why are the governments led by Modi and Shinde-Fadnavis scared if we hold peaceful protests to highlight the issues concerning the common man. Our leaders and workers were detained before we could start the protest. In Mumbai alone, as many as 10,000 party workers were held ahead of the protests,” he claimed.

    Modi government has failed to handle the economy, due to which the cost of living has gone up, he alleged.

    “How can Modi and Fadnavis suppress our right?” Chavan asked.

    The former chief minister charged that the Agnipath defence recruitment scheme compromises with the national security.

    “China poses a serious challenge in Ladakh and the government is silent,” he said.

    Nana Patole said that attempts to suppress their voice would not succeed.

    “The Congress launched a nationwide protest against rising fuel prices, inflation, unemployment, rise in GST and Agnipath scheme. We just wanted to meet the governor and protest before him on these issues,” he said.

    Meanwhile, in Nagpur, Congress staged a protest outside the district collectorate.

    Several Congress workers and leaders raised slogans against the Centre.

    They were detained by the police.

  • Need to unitedly fight against tactics to silence opponents: Maharashtra Congress as ED questions Nawab Malik

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole on Wednesday claimed that state minister and NCP leader Nawab Malik’s questioning by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) was an act of “revenge” and the need of the hour was to unitedly fight against the tactics to silence political opponents.

    Talking to reporters here, Patole, whose party shares power with the Shiv Sena and NCP in Maharashtra, said the Congress stood firmly with Malik, who has been raising his voice against the BJP’s “anti-people” policies and “arrogance of power”.

    “We will discuss such actions by central probe agencies and unitedly fight against the tactics to silence political. opponents,” the Congress leader said.

    He also accused the BJP of maligning Maharashtra for the sake of power.

    The Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress had in 2019 joined hands to form the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government led by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray in the state.

    The ED on Wednesday questioned Maharashtra Minority Affairs Minister and NCP’s chief spokesperson Malik in a money laundering probe linked to the activities of the Mumbai underworld, fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim and his aides, officials said.

    Meanwhile, BJP state president Chandrakant Patil told reporters in Pune that if leaders of the NCP and other MVA constituents think that the ED’s action against Nawab Malik is misuse of power, they can approach court to seek justice.

    “We (BJP) have been subjected to injustice for the last 27 months (by the state government), but when our 12 MLAs were suspended, we went to court and got justice. Similarly, if they think that victimisation is happening, they should approach the court,” he said.

    Patil said when former state home minister and NCP leader Anil Deshmukh was arrested (by the ED in a money laundering case), there was a similar outcry, but it later died down.

    The BJP leader also claimed that Deshmukh had said “if he (Deshmukh) opens his mouth, it will cost (MVA) dearly.”

    Earlier in the day, NCP chief Sharad Pawar said Malik is being troubled because he spoke against the Union government and “misuse” of central probe agencies.

    “Which case have they dug up? It is simple. They take the name of Dawood, especially if there is a Muslim activist (against whom a case is dug up)…There is no relation (between the activist concerned and underworld), but it is done,” Pawar said.

    Reacting to Pawar’s comments, Patil accused the NCP chief of fanning casteism.

    “Sometimes he does that between Marathas and non-Marathas, sometimes he does that between minorities and non-minorities. But, people know this kind of (Pawar’s) politics which is going on for the last 50 years. The non-Muslim communities know this and they will not take it seriously,” he said.

  • Sonia Gandhi seeks report from Maharashtra Congress on Speaker election stalemate

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: Days after the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, of which Congress is a part, failed to resolve the stalemate over appointment of the Assembly speaker, Congress president Sonia Gandhi has sought a report from the Maharashtra unit.

    The Speaker’s post is vacant since the resignation of Nana Patole from the post early last year. Patole is the current state Congress chief. As per the understanding of the MVA constituents — Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress — the Speaker’s post went to Congress. Ministerial berths and other posts were divided among them.

    In the previous monsoon session of the Assembly too, the Speaker election could not take place. This time, when the alliance partners amended the rules to elect the Speaker, Governor Bhagat Singh Koshayri disagreed, saying the process was unconstitutional. 

    “Had the alliance partners gone ahead with the Speaker’s election, the Governor might have used this as a constitutional crisis in the state and imposed President’s rule,” said a senior Congress leader.

    “Therefore, senior MVA leaders decided not to put the Uddhav Thackeray government in trouble over the Speaker’s post.”

    He said Sonia has inputs tooffer. “She is very particular about the share of the party in the government as well as the representation of backward classes in the government. She wants to know the reason why the Speaker’s election had to be postponed. The report will be submitted to the party leadership,” said the Congress leader.

  • Criminal complaint and civil suit filed against Kirit Somaiya for ‘defaming’ Maha Congress

    By PTI

    NAGPUR: A criminal complaint was filed on Monday against former BJP MP Kirit Somaiya in a court here in Maharashtra for allegedly defaming state Congress by levelling false allegations, a party spokesperson said.

    The complaint was filed by Maharashtra Congress chief spokesperson Atul Londhe in the court of Judicial Magistrate First Class (JFMC).

    Somaiya had alleged during a debate on a television channel on November 3 that out of the Rs 100 crore extortion money taken by former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh, 40 per cent went to NCP, 40 per cent to Shiv Sena and the rest 20 per cent to the Congress party.

    “I was also part of the debate and I immediately asked Somaiya to either furnish proof or withdraw his allegations. However, Somaiya, who had joined over the phone, switched it off and left the discussion,” alleged Londhe while speaking to reporters.

    He said Somaiya’s remarks were aimed at defaming Congress and the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi, of which Congress is one of the constituents.

    Londhe said he has sought registration of FIR against Somaiya under sections related to criminal defamation and 504 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 505 (Statements conducing to public mischief) of the Indian Penal Code.

    Londhe told reporters that he has filed a separate civil suit demanding a permanent restraining order against Somaiya from making false allegations against the Congress party and sought a symbolic compensation of Rs 1.

  • Maharashtra: Former Nanded MP Khatgaonkar quits BJP, joins Congress

    By PTI

    NANDED/AURANGABAD: Former Nanded MP Bhaskar Patil Khatgaonkar on Sunday, October 17, 2021, quit the BJP and joined the Congress, which he had left seven years ago, along with former MLA Omprakash Pokarna.

    Khatgaonkar said he earlier was an opponent of Maharashtra minister Ashok Chavan but not anymore, adding that he liked the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but “I need to be in the Congress if our activists have to get justice”.

    Chavan welcomed Khatgaonkar and Pokarna into the party, tweeting that their presence would strengthen the Congress in not just Nanded but all of Marathwada.

  • Congress’ Rajani Patil set to enter Rajya Sabha unopposed as Maharashtra BJP withdraws candidate

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Senior Congress leader Rajani Patil is set to be declared elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from Maharashtra after the opposition BJP on Monday withdrew its candidate from the next month’s bypoll.

    The by-election was necessitated due to the death of sitting Congress MP Rajeev Satav in May.

    His term in the Upper House of Parliament was till April 2, 2026.

    Monday (September 27) was the last day of withdrawal of nomination papers for the October 4 by-election.

    The BJP had fielded Sanjay Upadhyay for the bypoll and he has now withdrawn from the race, paving the way for Patil (62) to get elected unopposed.

    Patil and Upadhyay were the only candidates in the fray.

    Talking to reporters here, Upadhyay said Congress leaders in the state had appealed to the BJP to withdraw its candidate so that the Congress nominee gets elected unopposed.

    “I have withdrawn my nomination on the party’s directives,” he said.

    “The decision to withdraw my candidature was taken in a meeting of the state BJP core committee,” Upadhyay said.

    Last week, Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole and his party colleague and minister Balasaheb Thorat had met Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Devendra Fadnavis of the BJP and urged him to facilitate unopposed election of Patil.

    The 288-member Assembly formed the electoral college for the by-election in which the BJP is the single largest party with 106 MLAs.

    Patil was the candidate of the ruling coalition MVA, led by the Shiv Sena in which the Congress is a key constituent.

  • State must approach SC for OBC data from Centre: Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole

    By PTI

    NAGPUR: Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole on Sunday said the MVA government in the state must appeal in the Supreme Court for directions to the Centre to provide census data of Other Backward Classes (OBC).

    He was addressing a press conference here against the backdrop of the apex court on Saturday saying the state government cannot postpone local bodies polls over OBC reservations, as this power was only with the Election Commission.

    Patole also said all upcoming polls should be held after OBC reservations are restored, so that members of these communities do not suffer any “political loss”. “The state government should appeal in the SC to get the Central government to provide census data of OBCs to Maharashtra. The state OBC commission must also collect empirical data as soon as possible,” Patole said.

    An all-party meeting on August 27 had unanimously agreed to not hold polls till reservations for OBCs in local civic bodies were restored.

    Patole also said he would meet Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray over the post of advocate general as the incumbent, Ashutosh Kumbhakoni, was appointed by the previous Devendra Fadnavis government. “Traditionally, the advocate general changes when the government changes,” Patole claimed.

  • Twitter accounts of Maharashtra Congress, Balasaheb Thorat suspended, claims party leader Satel Patil

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Twitter accounts of the Maharashtra unit of the Congress and its senior leader Balasaheb Thorat have been suspended, Minister of State for Home and IT Satel Patil claimed on Thursday.

    The ruling BJP at the Centre is scared and dictating terms to the social media platform, he alleged in a series of tweets.

    “I strongly condemn the suspension of Twitter accounts of Congress leaders. Clearly shows that the BJP govt is scared, and is arm-twisting platforms to bend at their will,” the Congress leader from Kolhapur tweeted.

    Besides Rahul Gandhi, the accounts of the Maharashtra Congress and state revenue minister Balasaheb Thorat too have been blocked, Patil said.

    “Anyone who questions fascism and corruption by BJP is being silenced,” he alleged.

    Rahul Gandhi’s Twitter handle was suspended after he tweeted a photograph of the parents of a nine-year old Dalit girl who was allegedly raped and killed in Delhi.

    The party also alleged on Thursday that its official Twitter handle as well as that of a large number of party leaders and workers have been blocked.