Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, May 22: Several major political developments unfolded in Maharashtra on Friday, with sharp exchanges between ruling alliance leaders and Opposition parties intensifying the political atmosphere in the state.
BJP MLA Prasad Lad met Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil at Antarwali Sarati village to discuss pending demands of the Maratha community and issues faced by students.
During the meeting, Jarange targeted the Mahayuti government over the alleged lathi-charge on protestors and delay in scholarships for students. “Show proof that I took even one rupee from anyone. If such evidence is found, I will hang myself tomorrow morning,” Jarange said while rejecting allegations of compromise for money or position.
Responding to him, Prasad Lad said he had visited only as a worker of the Maratha community and urged Jarange to withdraw the agitation. He also assured that he would resign as MLA if the demands of the Maratha community were not fulfilled.
Meanwhile, political circles are abuzz with reports that Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde reprimanded minister Sanjay Shirsat over his controversial remarks regarding defections in the ruling Mahayuti alliance.
Shirsat had claimed that several MLAs from the faction led by Deputy Chief Minister Supriya Sule were in contact with the Shinde camp. The remarks reportedly triggered displeasure within the alliance, especially among leaders of the Nationalist Congress Party. Sources said Shinde advised Shirsat against making statements that could create divisions within the coalition government.
Former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray also launched a sharp attack on MLA Bachchu Kadu after the latter merged his party with the Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction and was later nominated to the Legislative Council.
“It was my mistake to invite him home and make him a minister. Those who left for greed can go,” Thackeray said while addressing party workers from Solapur, Parbhani and Dharashiv who joined the Shiv Sena (UBT).
In another political development, BJP MLA Gopichand Padalkar claimed that the group led by NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) leader Jayant Patil would split ahead of the Satara-Sangli local bodies constituency Legislative Council election.
Padalkar alleged that several members from the Sharad Pawar-led faction had already joined the BJP and claimed more leaders would leave Jayant Patil in the coming days. He also levelled allegations regarding loan approvals linked to the Sangli District Bank and demanded investigations into the matter.
At the same time, Maharashtra NCP president Shashikant Shinde criticised the Mahayuti government and the police machinery following the arrest of NCP leader Vikas Lavande.
Shinde alleged that the police force in the state was functioning under political pressure from those in power. He accused the government of suppressing democracy and questioned why strict action was selectively taken against Opposition leaders while others facing allegations remained untouched.