MUMBAI: The Opposition on Tuesday skipped the customary tea party hosted by the Maharashtra government here on the eve of winter session of the state legislature which is likely to be a stormy affair with the BJP indicating it will seek to corner the three-party ruling alliance on a number of issues.
Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray also did not attend the tea party.
He underwent a spine surgery in a private hospital here in November and was discharged earlier this month.
The winter session of the Maharashtra legislature, usually held in Nagpur, is being conducted in Mumbai this time from December 22 to 28.
A decision to extend the session further will be taken on December 24, Legislative Affairs minister Anil Parab had said last month.
Eleven bills and one appropriation bill are slated to be tabled during the session, he said.
The winter session is usually held in Nagpur, known as the second capital of the state.
The minister said a decision on which session will be conducted in Nagpur to compensate for the city not hosting the winter session will be taken after a meeting with the CM.
Since Thackeray wanted to attend the session, it was decided to shift the venue to Mumbai for the winter session, Parab had added.
Earlier in the day, Devendra Fadnavis, the Leader of the Opposition in the assembly, said the BJP will raise the issue of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government's "failure" in protecting the political reservation for OBCs in local bodies and demand a CBI probe into alleged malpractices in the recruitment process for various departments of the state government.
The former CM said the BJP will also raise the "messed up" disbursement of crop insurance to calamity-hit farmers among other issues on the floor of the legislature.