Uddhav hints at dumping power, says won't compromise on farmers' welfare

Sena chief is reportedly upset with BJP's decision to invite him at the last moment for today's ceremony to lay the foundation stone of a memorial for Dr B R Ambedkar

The Shiv Sena, which is a junior partner of the Bharatiya Janata Party at the Centre and in the Maharashtra government, on Sunday indicated that it may dump power as it is "indebted to farmers, not to power".

The hint was dropped by Sena president Uddhav Thackeray after his meeting with drought-hit farmers in Beed district of the underdeveloped Marathwada region. The Sena chief also reiterated the party's resolve to win power on its own in Maharashtra in the next assembly eletions.
 

According to sources, Uddhav Thackeray is upset with BJP's decision to invite him at the last moment for today's ceremony to lay the foundation stone of a memorial for Dr B R Ambedkar at Dadar in north-central Mumbai, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The sources said Uddhav politely refused to attend the function and left for Beed. The function was also boycotted by other party MPs and state legislators.
 

BJP reportedly chose to sideline Shiv Sena in a bid to project itself as pro-Dalit  and thereby take the credit for the development of Ambedkar's memorial. The sources said the BJP also did not discuss with Shiv Sena about how the memorial would be set up. 

While Prime Minister Modi, accompanied by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and leaders of the Republican Party of India, was busy at the proposed memorial site, Uddhav was in Beed distributing Rs 10,000 each to 1,000 farmers who are in distress due to drought for the third successive year.

"Had Shiv Sena led the government on its own, it could have given more aid to farmers," Uddhav told farmers, adding, "If the farmers are reeling from crisis, Shiv Sena cannot overlook. The farmers must get the justice as it is their right."

Meanwhile, the rift between BJP and Shiv Sena has been widening though the latter decided to be part of the state government in December 2014. The party is sulking over the allocation of insignificant departments to its ministers and lack of adequate powers to Sena's ministers in the state.

Furthermore, BJP and Shiv Sena have been openly attacking each other on various issues, such as the land acquisition bill, the quantum of compensation to drought-hit farmers and the alleged corruption in cleaning of nullah  and the repairs of roads ahead of monsoon in Mumbai.