Shiv Kumar
Tribune News Service
Mumbai, October 28
Political manoeuvring continues in Maharashtra with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Shiv Sena leader Diwakar Raote meeting Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari separately on Monday morning.
The CM’s office called it a courtesy call on the occasion of Diwali. Raote too said he met the Governor every Diwali and nothing political should be read into the visit.
The Sena and BJP both are reaching out to Independent MLAs and those representing smaller parties. Three of them — Geeta Jain, Rajendra Raut and Ravi Rana — say they are backing Fadnavis. On the other hand, Prahar Janshakti Party (PJP)’s MLA from Achalpur Bachchu Kadu and his colleague Rajkumar Patel have extended support to the Shiv Sena. Congress and NCP leaders maintain they have not been approached by Shiv Sena leaders for help to form the next government to keep out the BJP.
With the BJP tally down to 105 seats, a loss of 17 seats compared with 2014, the Shiv Sena has raised the pitch for “equal sharing” of power. Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray has reminded the BJP of the 50:50 formula “agreed upon” ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Also, the Sena has demanded a written assurance from the BJP in this regard.
With no clarity as to who will form the next government in Maharashtra, bureaucrats are sitting on files pertaining to several prized projects promoted by Fadnavis. According to sources, tenders inviting contractors to begin construction on the test-track for Virgin Hyperloop project have been delayed as IAS officers in Maharashtra are awaiting a clear political signal.
“Virgin Hyperloop is a pet project of Fadnavis and it is not certain whether another Chief Minister will support the project,” sources said. No working prototype of hyperloop exists anywhere in the world and bureaucrats do not want to stick their neck out without political support, they said. The Fadnavis government had earlier earmarked a 15-km stretch of land along the Mumbai-Pune expressway for a test-track to be constructed at a cost of Rs 300 crore.
Land acquisition for car-sheds for metro lines in Mumbai have also been stuck ever since the elections were announced. The Fadnavis government had bull-dozed its way and got over 2,000 trees axed in suburban Aarey for the metro line car-shed. However, car-sheds for other metro lines are stuck as the acquisition process for the same is yet to commence. The Shiv Sena has already come out against Ashwini Bhide, MD, Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation, who is said to be close to Fadnavis.
Raut: Don’t force us to look elsewhere
Mumbai: Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Monday upped the ante against ally BJP, saying his party should not be compelled to look for an alternative to form the next government in Maharashtra and that there were “no saints in politics”. He reiterated that both parties had agreed on a 50:50 formula. PTI
from The Tribune https://ift.tt/2PsJNoC
via Today’s News Headlines
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