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The Budget session of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government in Maharashtra, which begins on Monday, is expected to be stormy. Despite a comfortable majority, the state government is on a sticky wicket especially due to the widening rift with ruling partner Shiv Sena.
On the other hand, opposition parties — the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) — seem to be united in taking on the state government.
Other parties such as the Peasants and Workers Party, Samajwadi Party and the Community Party of India (Marxist), too, are prepared to take on the BJP-led government on various issues.
Opposition parties criticised revenue and agriculture minister Eknath Khadse for his remarks that farmers who have received compensation due to the loss of Kharif crops due to drought and hailstorms can’t claim financial assistance again for loss of rabi crops following the untimely rainfall last week.
Opposition parties are angry over the remarks made by the state revenue and agriculture minister Eknath Khadse that farmers, who have received compensation due to loss of Kharif crops due to drought and hailstorms, will not be entitled for financial assistance again due to the loss of their rabi crops following untimely rainfall took place last week in few districts.
Opposition is also determined to grill the government and chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, who holds crucial home department, on the deteriorating law and order situation. They are agitated especially over the manner in which rationalist and CPI leader Govind Pansare were killed by two persons who are still at large. Despite repeated statements by Fadnavis the police have yet to arrest Pansare's killers.
Furthermore, opposition is geared up to seek clarity from the government on the draft Development Plan for Mumbai released by the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation proposing up to 8 floor space index.
BJP's ally both in the BMC and in the state government, Shiv Sena has strongly criticised the draft development plan. Sena president Uddhav Thackeray went a step ahead while giving a call to throw the development plan in the dustbin. Maharashtra Navnirman Sena also joined Sena's protest. Both the parties feared that the Marathi Manoos won't be in a position to own flat due to surge in prices following hike in FSI. Opposition will also seek government's view on opening of Mumbai night life demanded by Shiv Sena youth wing chief Aditya Thackeray.
Leader of opposition in state assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil and his counterpart in the state council Dhananjay Munde told Business Standard ''Both the parties with other like minded parties will stall the proceedings of the legislature over government's decision to scrap reservation for Muslim community. Besides, the combined opposition will expose government's apathy towards farmers for its failure to provide much needed help. The opposition will step up its opposition against the NDA government's land acquisition law.''
However, the State legislative affairs minister Girish Bapat said ''The government is in a positive frame of mind and is ready for debate on current issues including damage caused due to untimely rain and the aid to farmers. Already government from its own kitty has spent Rs 4,000 crore on relief measures and it expects aid from the Centre,'' he said.
On scrapping of quota for muslim community, Bapat said the government is against quota on religious grounds but it prepared to allocate more funds for the upliftment of the muslim community. He however, defended government's support for 16% quota for Maratha community in jobs and education saying that Maratha is a caste and not religion.
Further, the government is ready to counter opposition's attack with its move to table the white paper on state's financial situation passing the buck on the 15 year Congress-NCP government. Moreover, the government will also embarass NCP in particular over the ongoing inquiries initiated by the Anti Corruption Bureau in the multi crore irrigation scam and also in connection with bribery during the construction of Maharashtra Sadan in New Delhi. The government will present state budget on March 18 to outline its Make in Maharashtra strategy.
Interestingly, Shiv Sena and MNS have launched separate agitations against against the development of 32 km Metro III project connecting Colaba-Bandra-Speez. Shiv Sena is demanding the rehabilitation of residents living in the traditional chawls in south Mumbai. Besides, Sena and MNS have voiced their concerns over felling of trees in the Aarey Milk Colony for the construction of depot for Metro III project.
