Weeks after the demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in an aircraft crash, another shocking piece of information has emerged. In 2023, then Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had gone to Davos, Switzerland, for the World Economic Forum summit. While returning, his chartered flight entered the Iran and Iraq fly zone without air permission. The defence of both countries threatened to blow up Shinde’s aircraft if it did not leave their airspace. The aircraft exited hurriedly, thus saving Shinde and others onboard. Questions were raised: why did the pilot risk a sitting CM’s life and why the DGCA did not act on the pilot’s conduct?
Sule talks with allies for Pawar’s RS candidacy
NCP(SP) Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule walked that extra mile to ensure her father Sharad Pawar’s Rajya Sabha candidature from the MVA alliance. Although Sule’s party is the third largest in terms of MLA strength in the MVA, she ensured zero opposition to Pawar’s candidature by speaking with Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi and Uddhav Thackeray. After the declaration of Pawar’s candidacy, she went to the Congress office and made the joint announcement. On the form-filing day, she sat in the Congress office in Vidhan Bhavan till all the documentary processes were completed smoothly and ensured that nothing turned into an obstacle.
Opposition in disarray this Assembly session
This Assembly session, the MahaYuti, with an absolute majority, seems to be in a commanding position, while the Opposition appears to be in disarray with coordination missing among the major parties of MVA both inside and outside the House. Earlier, during the session, the Opposition used to have daily meetings and decide on the subjects and issues to expose the ruling party with fiery speeches and protests outside the house. For the first time, the Opposition parties are looking more disorganised. There is a studied silence in opposition to MLAs, and no one is prepared mentally to take on the ruling party and target its ministers.
Sudhir Suryawanshi
Our correspondent in Maharashtra
suryawanshi.sudhir@gmail.com