Page 29 - Maharashtra Government

Cabinet expansion soon: CM Shinde after meeting with Fadnavis, Ajit Pawar

Shinde was speaking to reporters after holding a meeting with Maharashtra deputy CMs, Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, at his official residence, on Tuesday late night

Waiting to see how BJP handles its new 'riff-raffs': Uddhav Thackeray

A week after Ajit Pawar led a split in the NCP and joined the Eknath Shinde-BJP government in Maharashtra, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday said he is waiting to see how the BJP handles its new "riff-raffs". On the issue of petitions seeking disqualification of 16 Shiv Sena MLAs, including Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Thackeray said the state Assembly Speaker will have to take a decision on it within a given framework. "If the Speaker to bypass it, the Supreme Court's doors are always open for us, he told reporters in Nagpur after starting a two-day tour of the Vidarbha region in Maharashtra. The Uddhav Thackeray-headed Maha Vikas Aghadi government collapsed in June last year after a revolt led by Eknath Shinde against the Shiv Sena leadership. Shinde later became the CM with BJP's support. On July 2 this year, NCP's Ajit Pawar led a split in his party and joined the Shinde government as deputy chief minister. Eight other NCP MLAs also took oath as stat

Setback for Thackeray as Maharashtra MLC Neelam Gorhe joins Shinde camp

Neelam Gorhe, the deputy chairperson of the MLC, is the third Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC to join the Shinde faction

I am the president of NCP, will speak in front of EC now: Sharad Pawar

"I am the president of NCP," veteran Sharad Pawar asserted on Thursday after a meeting of the party's Working Committee which approved the decision to expel Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare and nine others who joined hands with NDA recently. Briefing the media here, party leader P C Chacko said eight resolutions were passed in the meeting. Pawar also said the "truth will come out" on Ajit Pawar' claim of having majority. Chacko said the organisation was behind Pawar. "NCP Working Committee approves decision to expel Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare and nine who joined hands with NDA. Sharad Pawar was elected national president. We don't take seriously claims of someone being national president. "Our organisation still intact and we are with Sharad Pawar," Chacko asserted. He also said every three years, NCP holds elections and people are elected regularly. The resolutions passed by the working committee include a stand against the undemocratic and unconstitutional actions of the BJP gover

Nobody unhappy in my party over Ajit Pawar joining govt: Eknath Shinde

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Thursday said nobody in Shiv Sena is unhappy over NCP leader Ajit Pawar's inclusion in the state ministry. Shinde described as rumours spread by opposition reports that his chief ministerial chair may be in jeopardy after Ajit Pawar and eight other NCP MLAs joined his year-old state ministry. Some Shiv Sena legislators had apparently raised concerns after the NCP faction led by Ajit Pawar joining the state government. Shinde presided over a meeting of Shiv Sena MLAs, MLCs and MPs on Wednesday. Ajit Pawar's remark that he wants to be the CM has created a flutter in political circles. The remark has made the Shinde camp, which is awaiting the Assembly Speaker's ruling on disqualification complaint against its MLAs, nervous. Maharashtra minister Uday Samant, who belongs to the Shinde-led group, said reports about Shinde's resignation were false.

Decision to join Maha govt taken after consideration: Chhagan Bhujbal

Maharashtra minister Chhagan Bhujbal, belonging to the Nationalist Congress Party's Ajit Pawar camp, on Wednesday said they took the decision of joining the Eknath Shinde-BJP government in Maharashtra after "proper consideration". On Sunday, Ajit Pawar led a vertical split in the NCP to become deputy chief minister in the Shiv Sena-BJP government. Eight other NCP MLAs, including Bhujbal, were sworn in as ministers in the Shinde cabinet. Speaking to a news channel, Bhujbal said, We have taken the decision to join the Maharashtra government after proper consideration. If he (NCP chief Sharad Pawar) has a long career of 57-58 years in politics, I have also spent 56 years in the same field." "Our decision did not happen like we woke up one morning and joined the government," he added. Asked about the Sharad Pawar camp filing a "caveat" before the Election Commission of India, requesting it not to take any decision on a plea from Ajit Pawar faction before hearing the former's side, ...

NCP MLAs wanted Pawar to explore possibility of joining Maha govt: Patel

Nationalist Congress Party leader Praful Patel has claimed 51 out of the 53 party MLAs had told NCP chief Sharad Pawar that a possibility of joining hands with the BJP should be explored after the MVA government in Maharashtra collapsed last year. If the NCP can form government with the Shiv Sena, why not with the BJP, Patel, who has switched over to Ajit Pawar's side, said in an interview to Marathi news channel Zee 24 Taas. On Sunday, senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar led a vertical split in the party to become deputy chief minister in the one-year-old Shiv Sena-BJP government, shocking his uncle Sharad Pawar, who founded the outfit 24 years ago after quitting the Congress. Besides Ajit Pawar, eight other NCP MLAs, including Chhagan Bhujbal and Hasan Mushrif, were sworn in as ministers in the Eknath Shinde cabinet. The Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, comprising the Shiv Sena (then undivided), NCP and Congress, collapsed in June last year after a revolt led by

Ajit Pawar joined us as he supports development, trusts Modi leadership: CM

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday said NCP leader Ajit Pawar has joined his government to support the state's development and express his faith in the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. On Sunday, Ajit Pawar led a vertical split in the NCP to become deputy chief minister in the one-year-old Shiv Sena-BJP government, shocking his uncle Sharad Pawar, who founded the party 24 years ago after quitting the Congress. Besides him, eight other NCP MLAs, including Chhagan Bhujbal and Hasan Mushrif, were sworn in as ministers in the Shinde cabinet. Talking to reporters here, Shinde said his new deputy Ajit Pawar has chosen the path of development and expressed his faith in the leadership of Modi. "We, too, are walking on the same path," said Shinde, who himself spearheaded a rebellion against the leadership of the undivided Shiv Sena last year, leading to the collapse of the three-party Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government headed by Uddhav Thackeray. Addressing a ...

Nationalist Student Congress removes Praful Patel photo frame from office

NSC, the student wing of the Nationalist Congress, removed photos of the MLAs that left the NCP with Ajit Pawar

Suitable action to be taken on Ajit Pawar's disqualification plea: Speaker

Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar on Monday said he will take appropriate action on the NCP's plea seeking disqualification of Ajit Pawar and other eight party MLAs, who have taken oath as ministers in the Eknath Shinde-led government. State NCP president Jayant Patil on Sunday said his party has moved the disqualification petition against Ajit Pawar and eight others. He said an e-mail has also been sent to the Election Commission of India informing that the rank and file of the NCP is with party chief Sharad Pawar. Speaking to reporters on Monday, Narwekar said, I have received the petition filed by Jayant Patil seeking disqualification of the nine NCP MLAs. I will read it carefully. I will study the points mentioned and take appropriate action on the petition. Asked how many NCP MLAs have supported Ajit Pawar, Narvekar said, I have no information about it. The Speaker also said it is his prerogative to decide on the appointment of a new opposition leader in the ...

First attack corrupt, then embrace them: Sibal slams BJP on Pawar's revolt

Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal took a swipe at the BJP on Monday over NCP leader Ajit Pawar and eight others inducted into the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government, saying "first attack the corrupt and then embrace" them. Ajit Pawar pulled off a stunning revolt in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Sunday, triggering a vertical split, and joined hands with the ruling Shiv Sena-BJP alliance in Maharashtra to become the deputy chief minister. In a tweet, Sibal said, "First attack the corrupt, then embrace the corrupt. First guarantee their investigation, then get a warranty for their support. Investigation in suspension. Henceforth ED, CBI: No tension. Sounds familiar? Mother of democracy at work!" In a sudden turn of events that capped weeks of speculation over the senior NCP leader's next political move and came as a shocker to his uncle Sharad Pawar, Ajit Pawar was sworn in as the deputy chief minister by Governor Ramesh Bais at a ceremony held at the Raj Bhawan in Mumbai on .

NCP joining Maha govt is start of Eknath Shinde losing his CM's post: Raut

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday said the induction of NCP leader Ajit Pawar as deputy chief minister in the Maharashtra government was the beginning of the process of Eknath Shinde losing his chief minister's post. Talking to reporters, Raut claimed that Maharashtra would soon get a new chief minister. In a surprising development, Ajit Pawar on Sunday took oath as the deputy CM, while eight MLAs of his Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) took oath as ministers in the government led by the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). "This (oath-taking ceremony) is the start of Eknath Shinde losing his chief minister's post. His MLAs will be disqualified as members of the House. In order to continue being in power even after it, Ajit Pawar and the NCP MLAs have joined the government," Raut said. He also said the NCP joining the government and the rebellion in the party was not a political earthquake. "This development should not be seen as (shaping up of a) triple ...

Fadnavis 'misusing' Sharad Pawar's name to outshine Maha CM Shinde: NCP

The Nationalist Congress Party on Thursday accused Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis of trying to garner publicity by "misusing" NCP president Sharad Pawar's name to outshine CM Eknath Shinde. Bharatiya Janata Party leader Fadnavis in an interview to a TV channel recently claimed Pawar agreed to form government with the BJP in 2019 and then backed off after three-four days. Reacting to the deputy CM's claim, NCP national spokesperson Clyde Crasto in a statement said, "After being subdued by Eknath Shinde in advertisements in the past few days, Devendra Fadnavis is now trying to garner publicity on his own, he is therefore misusing the name of Sharad Pawar in interviews, to gain free publicity and outshine Eknath Shinde." After the 2019 Assembly elections in Maharashtra, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (then undivided) snapped ties with long-term ally BJP over the issue of sharing the chief ministerial post. Later, Fadnavis was sworn in as the chief minister and

Versova sea link to be named Veer Savarkar Setu: Maha cabinet approves

The state cabinet also passed a proposal to rename the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) after former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee

Maharashtra govt working day and night for state's development, says Shinde

Maharashtra is the land of saints and it will become more prosperous with the presence of monks like Acharya Shree Mahashraman, said Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday. The government is working day and night for the state's development, he said. The CM was speaking at a function organised here at the start of the Chaturmas' (period of penance) by the Acharya, who is from the Jain Terapanth sect. Shinde said the spiritual leader working on drug de-addiction in a mission mode. Shinde said his government has been working day and night for the development of Maharashtra as he sought the spiritual leader's blessings to make the state happy and more prosperous. Like your drugs-free efforts, the state government has taken up a Drugs-Free Mumbai Mission, the CM said.

Thackeray govt suffered from 'policy paralysis', says Deputy CM Fadnavis

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Thursday the erstwhile Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government suffered from "policy paralysis" when it ruled the state for 31 months. Addressing a public rally in Satara district's Maan tehsil, he said an "inactive government" assumed office in November 2019 and it was not concerned about problems being faced by people of drought-prone areas. Fadnavis assured local BJP MLA Jaykumar Gore that till the time their fight against drought in the region was not over, he would stand by people in their struggle. "Today, the ground-breaking of a lift irrigation scheme at Jihe-Katapur was performed. A total of 15,000 hectares of land will be irrigated under the scheme. This land would have come under irrigation by now as we had completed all formalities but we went out of power (in 2019). "After that, an inactive government assumed office, which had nothing to do with the Maan region, had nothing to do with the drought-like situation ...

IPL betting: Businessmen, criminals among 53 arrested from posh locations

The police used special tactics to nab the betting rackets. In one instance, the police sent one of their team members acting as a pizza-delivery boy to the suspected flat

Shinde meets J-K Lt Guv, seeks land in Srinagar for 'Maharashtra Bhavan'

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday met Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and urged him to provide land in Srinagar to set up 'Maharashtra Bhavan'. Shinde met Sinha in Srinagar and handed over a letter to him with the request, a statement from Shinde's office said. The chief minister said the Maharashtra Bhavan will help promote cultural exchange and boost the economy through tourism activities. Shinde said it will help showcase Maharashtra's art, culture and food in Kashmir.

Maharashtra: Fire breaks out at chemical factory; one dead, five injured

One person died and five were injured after a fire broke out at a chemical company in Maharashtra's Thane district on Saturday, a civic official said. The blaze started near a nitric acid tank in the factory at 4pm in Ambernath MIDC, the official said. "One persons identified as Suryakant Jimat died. The body has been sent for post mortem. The five persons who suffered burn injuries have been hospitalised," said Yasin Tadvi, the chief of Disaster Control Cell of Thane civic body. Six fire engines, two each from Ambernath, Anand Nagar and Ulhasnagar, were pressed into service and the fire was brought under control in one and half hours, said the official, adding that the cause is yet to be ascertained. Though nitirc acid itself is not flammable, it is a strong oxidising agent and can support combustion and react with other substances that can catch fire. Earlier, the official had said there were no reports of anyone getting injured in the incident. An accidental death report has b

Govt took serious note of threat to Pawar, instructions for probe given: CM

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Friday said his government has taken serious note of the death threat to NCP chief Sharad Pawar and that he has given instructions for a probe. Calling Pawar a senior respected leader, Shinde said in a statement that all necessary precautions will be taken for his security. Police authorities have been asked to beef up Pawar's security if needed, the CM said. For the past few days, the chief minister said, deliberate attempts are being made to create tension in the state. Ever since the Supreme Court verdict (in Shiv Sena-related issues), some people are upset due to which attempts are being made to spoil the atmosphere by glorifying Aurangazeb and Tipu Sultan, said the statement. It added, These attempts will be thwarted. We will foil the conspiracy to create disturbances for selfish political interests. NCP leaders said their 82-year-old party president received a message on social media that read he will meet the same fate as (Narend