BJP should let Maharashtra monsoon session to work in public interest: Raut

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said the opposition BJP should allow the two-day monsoon session of the Maharashtra legislature to function smoothly if it has the interest of the state's people in mind.

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday said the opposition BJP should allow the two-day monsoon session of the Maharashtra legislature to function smoothly if it has the interest of the state's people in mind.

The two-day monsoon session of the state legislature will begin on Monday.

Talking to reporters here, Raut said the opposition should allow the legislature proceedings to go on smoothly for the two days.

"Pandemonium is not the way to corner the government. Such tactics can be adopted by the other side as well. This will not solve problems of vaccination (against coronavirus), COVID-19, unemployment and economy," said Raut, whose party shares power with the NCP and Congress in Maharashtra as part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance.

He said the Maharashtra government has several issues for discussion on problems being faced by people in the state.

"If the BJP feels committed towards the welfare of the state, it will allow the legislature session to function. The people of the state want the two-day session not to be washed away in pandemonium," the Rajya Sabha member said.

On reports that he met BJP leader Ashish Shelar on Saturday, Raut said "the more such rumours spread, the stronger the MVA alliance will become".

"We may have political and ideological differences, but if we come face-to-face at public functions, we will cordially greet each other. I have had coffee with Shelar openly," the Sena's chief spokesperson said.

To a query on the state government planning to bring a resolution in the legislature opposing three central farm laws, Raut said if the MVA is proposing such a resolution, it means all the three allies are in support of the resolution.

NCP leader and Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik on Saturday said the state government will pass a resolution during the monsoon session against the three central farm laws.

Farmers have been camping at Delhi's borders since November 2020 with their demands that the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, Farmers' (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 be rolled back and a new law made to guarantee minimum support price for crops.