MUMBAI: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday sought to end the speculation surrounding the Shiv Sena’s exit from the Maha Vikas Aghadi, saying that there was no possibility of joining hand with the BJP.
“We were with BJP for last 30 years, nothing happened in that period. Now, no possibility,” Uddhav told the media. In a lighter vein, the Sena chief said that he was sitting between Congress minister Balasaheb Thorat and NCP leader and deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar. “Will they allow me now?”
The talk of Uddhav returning to the NDA fold had gained currency after the Sena chief minister had recently met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi. In the days that followed after the Delhi trip, the BJP gave indication of its willingness to rejoin forces with the Sena.
Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis had said that the BJP leaders have no personal enmity Uddhav. “We have only ideological difference because the Shiv Sena fought the elections with us but formed the government with the Congress and the NCP,” the former chief minister said.
Similarly, senior BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar had claimed that the saffron party would open its door only when the Sena realises its mistake of going with the Congress and the NCP. Talking to the media after the two-day session ended, the chief minister said the actions of the BJP members were not the sign of a healthy democracy.
Twelve BJP MLAs were on Monday suspended from the Assembly for one year for allegedly misbehaving with Speaker in chair Bhaskar Jadhav. “What was the need for the BJP to create a hue and cry over a resolution asking the Centre to provide census data of 2011 to enable the State Backward Class Commission to prepare empirical data of OBCs....Should we say its animosity for OBCs came to the surface?” Uddhav asked.
Bengal prepares for Upper House
The West Bengal Assembly passed a resolution on Tuedsay supporting an ad-hoc panel report that favoured the creation of a legislative council, amid opposition by the BJP. The resolution was moved by parliamentary affairs minister Partha Chatterjee under Rule 169 of the Procedures of Conduct of Business of the House. Voting was held, with 196 of the 265 members present in the House supporting the move and 69 opposing it. CM Mamata Banerjee had talked about creation of legislative council in the state polls.
Mathura court denies bail to Kappan
A court in Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh refused bail to Kerala-based journalist Siddique Kappan, who was arrested by the UP Police on October 5, 2020 for offences under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). Anil Kumar Pandey, the additional session’s judge in district took into account the alleged material collected by the investigators against the journalists denying him bail. The ADJ court observed hat Kappan along with the co-accused had committed acts that promoted enmity within society.