BELAGAVI: As the boundary dispute between Karnataka and Maharashtra is still pending before the Supreme Court, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has decided to take a delegation of all-party MPs from his state to Prime Minister Nadrendra Modi to urge him to resolve the long-drawn dispute between the two states.
Thackeray announced this during the question hour in thae Maharashtra council at the ongoing session. However, he did not clarify whether his government will withdraw the case filed before the Supreme Court demanding the merger of Marathi-majority areas of Karnataka with Maharashtra. Thackeray said that his government is committed to initiate all legal and political measures to find a lasting solution to the boundary dispute.
To bolster Maharashtra’s legal team in the Supreme Court, he named some of the prominent advocates.
Thackeray’s decision to rake up the boundary dispute in the legislative council has enraged many leaders in Belagavi district. Condemning Thackeray’s stand, activist Ashok Chandargi said the CM should have clarified whether he will withdraw the case in the Supreme Court.
“The Maharashtra government itself has moved the SC for a solution to the boundary dispute case. It is unfortunate that the Maharashtra CM is taking a political decision when a case is pending before the court,” Chandargi said.
Several leaders in Belagavi felt that Karnataka’s case in the SC will be stronger as compared to Maharashtra’s, as the pro-Maharashtra outfit, Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) which had been in the forefront of the boundary dispute movement has miserably failed to strengthen its stand.
The MES, which once had four to five MLAs from Belagavi region for many decades after the reorganisation of the states, does not have any now.