CM Shinde promises Assam Bhavan in Maharashtra; Raut says it already exists

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday said he has approved of his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma's request for the construction of an Assam Bhavan in Navi Mumbai.

Similarly, a Maharashtra Bhavan will come up in Assam, Shinde said after a meeting with Sarma in Guwahati.

However, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Sanjay Raut said the Assam Bhavan already exists in Navi Mumbai and while every state wants a land here, Maharashtra does not have a place in other states.

The meeting between the Maharashtra CM and Sarma took place on Sunday in the same hotel in Guwahati where Shinde and other rebel MLAs from the Shiv Sena stayed for 11 days before toppling the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra.

A statement from Shinde's office said the two leaders discussed strengthening mutual cooperation between the two states in the field of industries, trade and tourism.

Shinde, his ministers and MPs along with their families visited Kamakhya Devi temple on Saturday and later attended a get-together with Sarma.

The statement said Shinde thanked Sarma for his support during the power struggle in Maharashtra.

Shinde also invited Sarma to Maharashtra.

The statement said Shinde approved of Sarma's request for the construction of the Assam Bhavan in Navi Mumbai, while the Assam government will provide land to set up the Maharashtra Bhavan in the north-eastern state.

The statement quoted Sarma as saying that when Shinde had realised his party's (Shiv Sena) path was wrong and he wanted to correct it, all assistance was provided.

Meanwhile, talking to reporters here, Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut said the Assam Bhavan already exists in Navi Mumbai.

''Every state wants a land in Mumbai. But, Maharashtra doesn't have a place in other states. Its industries are taken away and even claim is staked on its own land,'' he said.

Raut said "the Assam CM is a former Congressman and Shinde is a former Shiv Sainik. Both became chief ministers after switching sides. So, the turncoats are getting along well.''

People from Assam live happily and peacefully in Mumbai and elsewhere in the state, he futher said.

''Kamakhya Devi is known as the Goddess of justice, we are sure she will do justice,'" Raut added.