M’rashtra projects ‘moving’ to Gujarat, MVA accuses Shinde govt of betrayal

Accusing the Eknath Shinde government of Maharashtra of sacrificing the state’s interest to favour Gujarat, the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) on Sunday said the ruling coalition in Maharashtra was “betraying Maharashtra dharma” and offering it “at the feet of Gujarat”.

“This is Mahayuti’s biggest sin,” the MVA today said. Addressing a press conference in Mumbai, the Maha Vikas Aghadi on Sunday took on the ruling Mahayuti and released a document it called ‘gaddarancha panchnama’ (chargesheet against traitors).

The word ‘gaddar’ is apparently targeted at CM Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar who engineered splits in the previously united Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), respectively.

Those present at the press conference were Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and NCP (Sharad Pawar) chief Sharad Pawar. The Congress was represented by party’s state chief Nana Patole.

The MVA leaders accused the ruling Mahayuti of not only betraying their previous political parties but also the state of Maharashtra since they were facilitating shifting of mega projects from Maharashtra to Gujarat.

“It is not just me and Sharad Pawar who have been betrayed by traitors (a reference to the splits in the Shiv Sena and NCP) but Maharashtra itself has faced betrayal. This is the biggest sin of the Mahayuti (ruling alliance of Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena, BJP and Ajit Pawar-led NCP),” said former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

The ‘gaddarancha panchnama’ contained “rate card for purchase of MLAs and corporators, transfer of government officials, recruitment in government jobs” in addition to scams in Dharavi redevelopment project and irregularities in road concretisation tenders.

“Bhrashtyuti (corrupt alliance) has driven industries out of Maharashtra and into Gujarat. We have to teach the ruling alliance a lesson for snatching jobs meant for our youths. Frequent paper leaks and contractual recruitment has destroyed the lives of the state’s youth,” state Congress chief Nana Patole said.

He alleged that Shinde government has been smeared by corruption and this was evident even in the construction of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue in Sindhudurg district which collapsed recently.

Thackeray said that once MVA comes to power, it would focus on providing jobs.

State elections in Maharashtra are likely to take place next month. The tenure of the current Assembly ends on November 26.