Facing sustained attack from ally Shiv Sena and the Opposition Congress-NCP over the separate Vidarbha issue, Devendra Fadnavis today declared in the Assembly he is the Chief Minister of entire Maharashtra and asserted there is no proposal “as of this moment” to bifurcate the State. The only Peoples Republican Party MLC Jogendra Kawade was stood up for the separate Vidarbha statehood in the 78-member house.
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Earlier in the day, raising the separate Vidarbha issue in the Assembly, Congress-NCP legislators rushed to the well and raised slogans for a united Maharashtra.
But after holding two meetings with opposition leaders, the Sena announced that the party believes in the Chief Minister’s clarification to the house that the State has no such proposal.
Interestingly, Uddhav according to Chavan had yielded to his request and had given a go-ahead for bringing a united Maharashtra resolution which was the reason why Congress-NCP resolution notice given to the Speaker had names of three Shiv Sena MLAs.
“If the Chief Minister is so honest about his intentions, he should table a resolution on separate Vidarbha in the legislature”, he said. “If he has any problem, we can do it, the Shiv Sena can do it”, Chavan said – a demand later voiced by Vikhe-Patil. Instead, they made a decision to move a motion to pass a unanimous resolution in favour of a United Maharashtra in both the Houses.
As soon as the Upper House reassembled at 12.30 PM for the Question Hour, Sunil Tatkare (NCP) sought to move an adjournment motion demanding the BJP-led government bring a motion favouring a united Maharashtra. He added Patole, a BJP MP from Bhandara-Gondia moved a non-government bill in the Lok Sabha and demanded a separate statehood for Vidarbha. On reassembling, council chairman Ramraje Nimbalkar said that issue is important and the government should respond to it, but, the business of the house should also go on at the same time.
The former Minister slammed the veiled threats being issued about possible dissolution of the Legislative Council.
Be it Telangana or Vidarbha, carving out a new state entails a lot of drama. “Don’t take Modi’s name and hold election over separate Vidarbha”.
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He said, the Opposition is only interested in creating rift between Sena and BJP. Munde however strongly opposed the reply said, “The government is avoiding to clear its stand over the issue”.
