Claiming that people were ready to dislodge the 15-year-old Congress-NCP regime in Maharashtra, the five-party opposition alliance 'Mahayuti' today announced that it would launch a statewide programme where effigies of 16 'corrupt' ministers would be burnt.
"On February 28, we will burn the 16-headed Ravan effigies representing the 16 corrupt ministers all over the state," Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray said here.
Uddhav and BJP leader Gopinath Munde, who addressed a public rally here along with Ramdas Athawale, Raju Shetty and Mahadeo Jankar, also announced that when the opposition combine comes to power it will present a separate agriculture budget as was done by the Yedyurappa Government in Karnataka.
They also announced that the contentious Local Body Tax on shops would be abolished.
State BJP president Devendra Fadnavis said the state Government did not want a toll-free Maharashtra. Rs 35,000 crore worth roads can be built through privatisation in the state, without charging toll, he claimed.
Attacking Ajit Pawar, Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatna leader Raju Shetty said the government had become so arrogant that farmers in Maval tehsil in Pune were killed in a police firing in the manner of an encounter killing.
Bhaiyya Deshmukh, the farmer about whose demand for irrigation water supply Ajit Pawar had made controversial remarks, was felicitated by Thackeray and Munde during the rally.
Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Vinod Tawde (BJP) demanded that the government should ensure equitable irrigation water distribution for farmers so that Marathwada region is not deprived of water.
Tawde also flayed the state government for "sidelining" Marathi IPS officer Vijay Kamble while appointing Rakesh Maria as Mumbai police chief.
