Parties should first focus on ensuring relief to rain-hit farmers: Aaditya Thackeray

Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray on Monday said all political parties should first focus on ensuring relief to farmers whose crops were damaged in unseasonal rains rather than mulling over the government formation in Maharashtra.

Speaking to reporters here, Aaditya said the affected farmer should be compensated and called on all political parties to stand with them to ensure that the government machinery works speedily to provide relief to the farmers.

"As political parties, we should whatever we could (for affected farmers). We first focus on pressing government machinery into action. The time of new government formation in the state is a political matter," he told reporters here.

The Shiv Sena leader demanded setting up of a helpline where affected farmers can inform the government officials about damages to their crop.

He also demanded amendment in rules to provide compensation to farmers. "Many people whose crops were damaged in the hailstorm last time have not yet been compensated," Aaditya said.

The Thackeray scion met farmers and inspected their damages crops here. His visit comes amid a tug-of-war between Shiv Sena and ally BJP over the later's demand for equal distribution of Cabinet portfolios and sharing of the chief minister's post for 2.5 years each.

Aaditya, who has won the recently-concluded Assembly polls from Worli, has been projected as the chief minister's post aspirant in the next government.