Cong to raise note ban to corner Maha govt in winter session

The winter session of Maharashtra legislature beginning in Nagpur on December 5 is likely to be stormy as the opposition Congress is planning to put the Devendra Fadnavis government on mat over the demonetisation exercise and the "distress" it has caused to common people.
A core committee meeting of the Congress was held at Vidhan Bhavan here today to discuss the floor management strategy of the party.
Apart from the Leader of Opposition in Legislative Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, leaders like Sharad Ranpise, Sanjay Dutt, Varsha Gaikwad and Bhai Jagtap among others attended the meeting.
"The hardships faced by the common man due to demonetisation will be our priority. Apart from the common man, farmers are also suffering as the RBI has banned district cooperative banks from accepting and exchanging demonetised currency.

"We will raise this issue aggressively in both Upper and Lower House during the session," senior leader Arif Naseem Khan, who was also present at the huddle, told PTI.
He said the Congress will also raise demands for reservation to Muslims as well as Dhangar and Maratha communities and the "involvement of BJP ministers in scams" during the session.

"We will not allow the House to conduct business till our demands are met," the former Minorities Affairs Minister said.
The next meeting of core committee will be held in Nagpur on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Vikhe Patil said the Congress will speak with Sharad Pawar-led NCP to get their support during session against the ruling BJP and Shiv Sena.

However, another senior Congress leader expressed doubt over the NCP's ability to corner the government given its debacle in the municipal council polls held recently in Maharashtra.
"NCP may not be aggressive against BJP and Shiv Sena as they are demoralised after their poor performance in the municipal council polls. NCP has also lost three of its MLC seats in recently concluded poll and hence, we doubt their aggressiveness in the session," he said while expressing hope that NCP would at least support the Congress in its bid to take on the government.
Highlighting the "hardhips" encountered by the common people in the wake of scrapping of Rs 500 and 1000 notes, the Congress and other opposition parties have been stalling the proceedings in winter session of Parliament.

Though Shiv Sena is blowing hot and cold over the issue, the Uddhav Thackeray-led party has flayed its senior alliance partner, the BJP over the implementation of the demonetisation move.