Shiv Sena must quit Maha govt: Munde

Mumbai: Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Legislative Council, Dhananjay Munde today demanded that Shiv Sena must quit the BJP-led state government rather than asking its legislators to take an aggressive stand on the issue of farm loan waiver.

“Legislators of Shiv Sena are on their feet in the well of the House demanding loan waiver while the party ministers are enjoying power. What to make of all this. This is double standards,” Munde said in a series of tweets. The call to Sena legislators to take an aggressive stand is a farce, the NCP leader alleged.

Opposition Congress and NCP are pursuing the demand for loan waiver and we challenge the Shiv Sena to join the fight, he tweeted. “Instead of asking its legislators to take an agressive stand, the party (Sena) should ask its ministers to quit the government,” Munde added.

The demand for loan waiver of farmers has dominated the ongoing budget session of the State Legislature, paralysing proceedings of both the Houses, which saw them being adjourned without transacting any business for days together.

Initially, Shiv Sena joined the Opposition Congress and NCP in the farm loan waiver demand. Later even BJP legislators came in support. The budget session of the State Legislative Assembly, which began on March 6, reconvenes tomorrow after a four-day break.

Yesterday, party president Uddhav Thackeray asked legislators of the Shiv Sena, a junior partner in the state government, to disrupt proceedings of the Maharashtra Legislature unless the state government budges on the demand for complete loan waiver to farmers.

“Uddhavji has given very clear instructions to party legislators to be aggressive in both the Houses. We have orders from him to not allow proceedings of the Assembly and the Council until the government takes a decision to grant complete loan waiver to farmers,” senior Sena leader and Environment Minister Ramdas Kadam said in Ratnagiri yesterday.

–PTI