Fadnavis' posters defaced ahead of rally in Kolhapur

Unidentified persons threw ink on the posters carrying pictures of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis ahead of his rally in Kolhapur as part of his ongoing 'Mahajanadesh Yatra', police said on Tuesday.

They blackened the photos of Fadnavis and state revenue minister Chandrakant Patil put up on the hoardings, a police official said, adding that the culprits were yet to be identified.

The opposition NCP also put up banners on the yatra's route, spoofing the chief minister's statement made on the last day of the Assembly session where he said in Marathi, "Meech Parat Yen" (I will come back)".

The NCP posters carried the message "Mee pachtaotoy" (I regret), implying that people were regretting voting the saffron party to power.

However, the police removed the posters in the morning before Fadnavis' convoy reached the place, the official said.

On Monday, some workers of the Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana (SSS), a pro-farmer outfit, tried to fling 'Kadaknath' chickens and eggs in the way of Fadnavis' convoy of in Sangli district but the BJP activists foiled their bid.

The SSS has been demanding an inquiry by the Enforcement Directorate against a poultry firm which allegedly farmers to the tune of Rs 550 crore by promising to help them rear the 'Kadaknath' chickens, which are popular for their nutritional and medicinal value.

Meanwhile, during his brief speech at a rally here, Fadnavis said his government is going to undertake a project to divert excess water from flood-affected areas to drought- prone regions.

A team of the World Bank recently visited Kolhapur, which witnessed unprecedented floods last month after heavy rains, to take stock of the situation and it will fund this ambitious project, he said while addressing a gathering.

He also said that his government kept its promise of making Kolhapur a toll-free district.

"We are confident that the people of Maharashtra will vote us back to power, judging our performance in last five years," he said.