News Analysis India

Tag: Maharashtra crisis

  • ‘We need revenue to deal with floods’: Himanta on rebel Maharashtra MLAs put up in Assam hotel

    By PTI

    GUWAHATI: Hours after a group of Maharashtra MLAs led by dissident Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde reached Assam and were put up in a luxury hotel, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday said that he welcomes all to visit Assam as the state needs revenue to deal with the devastating flood.

    He also said, without elaborating, that he will be happy if Assam becomes an “international political epicentre”.

    Guwahati has many luxury hotels and if the rooms are full, “we should be happy as it will bring in revenue. We will earn through GST and we need it during these difficult times of devastating floods in the state”, Sarma told reporters on the sidelines of a function here.

    Altogether 55 lakh people in 32 districts of the North-eastern state are now affected by floods.

    Eighty-nine citizens have lost their lives due to the calamity.

    To a question, he said, “Why should there be a reason for any controversy regarding their visit? We welcome all tourists to visit the state now as we need funds to deal with the floods.

    Why should we turn away Goddess Lakshmi when most of our hotels are empty or have low occupancy during this period?” Asked whether he will meet the dissident MLAs from Maharashtra, Sarma said that there is no need for him to do that.

    “If I can manage, maybe I will meet them for five minutes. In the meantime, some of my legislator colleagues are in touch with them,” he said.

    The chief minister said that he is busy dealing with the flood situation and will visit Nagaon on Wednesday and Silchar on Thursday.

    “I will be happy if the state becomes an international political epicentre. I urge all to visit the state so that we can earn revenue to deal with the situation,” he said.

    The Maharashtra MLAs reached the BJP-ruled state on Wednesday morning by a charter aircraft from Surat and were taken to a luxury hotel on the outskirts of Guwahati amid tight security.

    Shinde, who initially refused to talk to media persons waiting outside the airport, later claimed that he has the support of 46 MLAs.

    The Shiv Sena asserted that they are “committed to Balasaheb Thackeray’s Hindutva ideology and we want to take it forward”.

    The MLAs were taken to Surat from Mumbai on Tuesday and the decision to shift them to Guwahati was taken on security grounds, according to a BJP source.

    This is perhaps the first time that MLAs from a Western Indian state is being taken to a Northeastern state after their rebellion against the party leadership.

    The Shiv Sena-led government in Maharashtra is facing a crisis following the revolt by a section of its MLA led by Shinde.

    Asked why they had come to Guwahati, Shinde said, “It is a nice place”.

  • ‘Congress MLAs not for sale’: Kamal Nath on Maharashtra political crisis

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Amid the Shiv Sena-led Maharashtra government facing a crisis following the revolt by a section of its MLAs, senior Congress leader Kamal Nath on Wednesday said his party is united and its MLAs are “not for sale”.

    Nath, who was on Tuesday appointed as the AICC observer in Maharashtra in the wake of the political turmoil in the state, and NCP chief Sharad Pawar are expected to meet Chief Minister and Sena president Uddhav Thackeray around noon.

    The Maharashtra cabinet meeting is also scheduled later in the day.

    The Congress shares power in Maharashtra with the Shiv Sena and NCP.

    Talking to reporters on his arrival at the Mumbai-based official residence of Maharashtra Revenue Minister and Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Balasaheb Thorat, Nath said, “It is for the Shiv Sena to take care of its team and see how it wants to handle its MLAs.”

    He asserted that the Congress leaders were united.

    “I am sure we will stay intact. It is for the Congress party to demonstrate unity. The Congress MLAs are not for sale,” the former Madhya Pradesh chief minister said.

    The CLP holding a meeting at Thorat’s residence on Wednesday.

    On Tuesday evening, 42 out of Congress’s 44 MLAs in the state were present at the meeting called by AICC secretary H K Patil.

    According to the Congress, its senior leader and Maharashtra Relief and Rehabilitation Minister Vijay Wadettiwar was abroad on an official trip and is scheduled to reach Mumbai on Wednesday, while MLA Subhash Dhote was also on way to the state capital from Chandrapur.

  • Milind Narvekar: Meet Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray’s peacemaker amid political crisis

    Express News Service

    MUMBAI: Shiv Sena leader Milind Narvekar, who is also personal assistant of CM Uddhav Thackeray, tried to play the peace marker role between estranged Shiv Sena minister Eknath Shinde and chief minister Uddhav Thackeray.

    After the revolt of estranged Shiv Sena minister Eknath Shinde on Tuesday, Narvekar was asked by the chief minister to rush to Surat where Shinde and other disgruntled party MLAs were kept in a luxury hotel and bring him back to Mumbai.

    CLICK HERE FOR LIVE UPDATES ON MAHARASHTRA POLITICAL TURMOIL

    Narvekar and and party MLC Ravindra Phatak left for Surat where they met Shinde at Hotel LeMeridien. From there, Shinde spoke with Uddhav and even with hsi wife Rashmi Thackeray over the phone.  Sources said the it was more than ten minute telephonic conversation between Shinde and Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav.

    “Shinde requested Uddhav to break the alliance with Congress and NCP and form the government with BJP in Maharashtra. Shinde even said that he does not want any ministry but a BJP-allied government because both the parties are natural ideological allies. Shiv Sena is losing its support base with Congress and NCP in power and this is not good for the future of the party” said a source requesting anonymity.

    “Thackeray on the other hand, asked Shinde to come back and if needed, he is ready to sacrifice his chief minister post and replace himself with Shinde. However, nothing was finalised in the meeting apart from discussion. It was a failed meeting. All efforts were in vain because Shinde refused to agree with continuing an alliance with Congress and NCP,” said a source requesting anonymity.

    ALSO READ| Exploring possibility of government formation in Maharashtra: Former BJP minister

    Interestingly, Narvekar was always blamed whenever there was revolt in Shiv Sena against its leadership. Union minister Narayan Rane solely blamed Narvekar for not picking his phone and giving to Uddhav Thackeray. He accused Narvekar for creating a communication gap between party leaders, workers, MLAs and Uddhav Thackeray during  his exit time. Now, the same Narvekar has playing the significant role as peacemaker between estranged leader Eknath Shinde and Uddhav Thackeray.

    Meanwhile, Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray has removed Eknath Shinde from legislative party leader post and appointed Ajay Chaudhary in his place.  

  • We are exploring possibility of government formation in Maharashtra: Former BJP minister

    Speaking on the condition of anonymity, the former BJP minister said that 'their priority is for the smooth transition of power'.

  • Brief uproar in Rajya Sabha as BJP members raise Deshmukh issue

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: BJP MPs in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday demanded the dismissal of Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh and sought to raise the issue of alleged charges of corruption against him, leading to uproar in the House for a while.

    The trouble started towards the end of the morning session when BJP MP Sushil Kumar Modi said he had given a Zero Hour mention seeking Deshmukh’s dismissal.

    This lead to noisy scenes in the House with members from the opposition benches objecting to it.

    Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu told Sushil Modi that he had not given permission to raise the issue.

    As several members from both treasury and opposition benches were on their feet with some raising slogans, Naidu asked them to sit down.

    “I have not permitted” he said, and reminded the members that the House had lost precious time on Monday. He asked the members not raise slogans in the House. Naidu also said the issue was a matter related to a state.

    “It is a political issue. Settle it outside,” he said.

    The House later started with its scheduled Question Hour.