BELAGAVI: The Maha Melava, which leaders of its organiser Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) expected would see participation of thousands of pro-Maharashtrians, has received a poor response with only a few people showing interest in it. Only a few hundred people attended the convention that was held at the Vaccine Depot premises in Belagavi on Monday.
Internal differences between the MES leaders is said to be the reason behind the setback. The absence of pro-Marathi youth, a section said to be neglected by its senior leaders, was palpable at the convention. The MES has been demanding that new and young leaders be nominated in the party.
The convention that was supposed to commence at 11 am, eventually got off at 1.50 pm. It seemed that leaders present were waiting for more people to walk in. Officially though, it was announced that the wait was for Dhananjay Munde, Opposition leader in the Maharashtra Legislative Council. The fact is, Munde arrived in Belagavi on Sunday itself, and the organisers asked him to delay turning up at the venue, according to sources.
Police stopped people, party alleges
MES leaders later complained that the police stopped a number of people, especially those coming from rural areas, from reaching the venue. “Which would otherwise have seen a large attendance of people,” a spokesman said.
Apart from Munde and Vijay Demane, district president of Shiv Sena in Kolhapur, no other dignitary from Maharashtra attended the Melava. Even people’s representatives from Maharashtra who had promised to attend the convention including Dhananjay Mahadik, MP, Kolhapur, Hasan Musarif, MLA, Kagal and Dhairasheel Patil, MLA, Pen, gave the event the slip.