Fadnavis flays Maha govt for stalling projects, brief session

BJP leader and former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday criticised the new Shiv Sena-led government in Maharashtra, saying except for stalling ongoing projects, it not done nothing.

Fadnavis said even more than a week after the Sena-NCP -Congress's Maha Vikas Agadhi (MVA) government assumed office, ministers have been not allocated portfolios.

Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray took oath as chief minister on November 28 along with six other ministers - two each from his party, the NCP and the Congress. However, none of them have been allotted portfolios till now.

Talking to reporters here, Fadnavis lamented that the ensuing winter session of the state legislature in Nagpur will last for only six days.

"It's a mere formality since the proceedings will be for just six days," said the Leader of Opposition in the new assembly.

"We have said that we are ready to support the government on the issue of providing relief to farmers. But, in the last few days except for stalling ongoing projects, the government has not done anything," he charged.

Soon after taking charge, Thackeray announced a stay on Metro carshed at Aarey Colony in suburban Goregaon and also ordered a review of big-ticket projects approved or started by the previous BJP-led government.

"So many days have passed, but there has been no portfolio allocation or Cabinet expansion. Whom to ask questions to in the legislature?," Fadnavis sought to know.

The BJP had asked the MVA government to have a two- week winter session, but the opposition party's plea was rejected, Fadnavis said.

The winter session of the legislature, the first after the constitution of the new assembly, begins on December 16.