Amid the flutter caused by BJP leader Pankaja Munde after she removed her party’s name from her Twitter bio, Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrakant Patil on Monday said she was not leaving the party.
“The BJP leaders are in touch with Pankaja Munde. She is introspecting after her defeat but it does not mean she is leaving the BJP,” Mr. Patil told reporters in Mumbai.
He also refuted Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut’s claim that many leaders were keen on joining the Uddhav Thackeray- led party.
“The accidental government that has come up in Maharashtra is spreading such baseless news. She may be having good family relations with Thackerays but it does not mean she is joining the Sena,” Mr. Patil said.MAHARASHTRA
Many people on their way to Shiv Sena, says Sanjay Raut
After speculation of senior BJP leader and former minister Pankaja Munde being upset with the party, senior Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Monday said, “We will find out about her on December 12. Many people are on their way to Shiv Sena.”
Reacting to BJP MP Anantkumar Hegde’s statement regarding funds being sent back to Centre, senior Shiv Sena leader Neelam Gorhe said, “This is surprising and shocking. I hope both the Central and State government will take note of this, inquire into it. The CM has made it clear that farmers need to be given financial aid.”MAHARASHTRA
Returning funds treachery of Maharashtra: Shiva Sena
The Shiv Sena on Monday described BJP MP Ananthkumar Hegde’s claim that Devendra Fadnavis was made CM last month despite lacking majority only to ‘protect’ ₹40,000 crore central funds from being ‘misused’ as treachery of Maharashtra.
Calling the purported act of Fadnavis as treachery, Sena MP Sanjay Raut said Mr. Fadnavis and the BJP were “criminals” of people of Maharashtra.
The state Chief Secretary and CM Uddhav Thackeray will clarify on the issue, Mr. Raut said.
Fadnavis denies Hegde’s claim
Reacting to Mr. Hegde’s claim, Mr. Fadnavis said, “No such major policy decision has been taken by me as CM. All such allegations are false.”
Mr. Hegde claimed Mr. Fadnavis was made chief minister of Maharashtra last month despite lacking majority only to ’protect’ ₹40,000 crore central funds under the CM’s control from being ‘misused’. — PTIKARNATAKA
Fadnavis made CM for second time to ‘protect’ ₹40k crore central funds: BJP MP Ananthkumar Hegde
Former union minister and BJP MP Ananthkumar Hegde has claimed his party colleague Devendra Fadnavis was made chief minister in Maharashtra last month despite lacking majority only to ‘protect’ ₹40,000 crore central funds under the CM’s control from being ‘misused’
Days after Fadnavis resigned barely 80 hours after taking oath for the second time as chief minister, Hegde, known for making controversial statements, sought to give a new twist to the episode describing the government formation by the BJP as a ‘drama’ played out to ensure that the funds meant for development works were ‘protected’.
“You all know that recently in Maharashtra for just 80 hours our person was Chief Minister, but soon Fadnavis resigned. Why did we have to do this drama? Din’t we know- despite knowing we don’t have majority, why did he become CM? This is the question commonly every one ask,” Mr. Hegde said.
Addressing a gathering, reportedly during campaign in bypoll-bound Yellapur in Uttara Kannada district on Saturday, he said, “More than about ₹ 40,000 crore was under CM’s control. If NCP, Congress and Shiv Sena come to power certainly that ₹40,000 crore would not have gone for development work and would have gone for different things (misused).”
“It was entirely planned earlier itself. Once we got to know (about three parties forming government) it was decided that a drama has to be played out. So, adjustments were made and oath was taken (by Fadnavis as CM), after oath within 15 hours Fadnavis systematically ensured that it (money) reaches where it had to and protected it,” the BJP leader said, speaking in Kannada. — PTIMAHARASHTRA
Will never dump Hindutva, says Uddhav Thackeray
Notwithstanding the ruling Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress combine mentioning the word “secular” in the preamble of its Common Minimum Programme (CMP), Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on December 1 said he would never abandon the ideology of Hindutva.
Mr. Thackeray, who heads the Sena, told the Legislative Assembly that the ideology of Hindutva cannot be separated from him.
“I am still with the ideology of Hindutva which cannot be separated from me,” he said while addressing the special session.Read more
Hope Fadnavis won’t repeat mistakes he made as CM: Sena
The Shiv Sena on Monday expressed hope that Devendra Fadnavis, as leader of the opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly, would not repeat the mistakes which he committed while being the state’s chief minister.
Attacking Mr. Fadnavis again over the hush-hush ceremony in which he was sworn in as Chief Minister on November 23 but had to quit 80 hours later, an editorial in Sena mouthpiece Saamana said the BJP has lost a face having mass appeal.
It claimed that people have drifted away from the BJP. “The current support that the BJP has (of its own MLAs and Independents) is unlikely to remain with the party. Whatever is happening to the party is the outcome of its previous deeds,” the Sena said.
Maharashtra BJP legislature party leader Fadnavis was on Sunday named leader of opposition (LoP) in the Assembly.
“Fadnavis should remember he has gone down in history as a person who was illegally sworn in by keeping everybody in the dark and without having majority,” the Sena said.
He was on that (chief minister’s) post for only “80 hours”. If he wants to get rid of that image, he should go by rules to work as leader of the opposition and take tuitions from senior BJP leader and former LoP Eknath Khadse, the Sena said in sarcastic remarks.
“Fadnavis should maintain the dignity of the leader of opposition’s post and not repeat the mistakes which he made earlier as Chief Minister of Maharashtra,” it opined.JHARKHAND
BJP puts up a brave face amid tribal discomfort
A few days before the Jharkhand Assembly election got under way, the Union government withdrew amendments to the Forest Rights Act (FRA), which had evoked sustained protests by tribal and environmental activists. It was an acknowledgement by the ruling party that tribal sentiments were hurt by the amendments that would dilute tribal rights over forests.
Proposed changes to the FRA are not the only problem facing the BJP when it comes to tribal communities in the State, which account for nearly 27% of the votes and 28 reserved seats in the 81-member Assembly. Analysts say 25 constituencies have a dominating tribal presence.
The BJP’s problems got compounded when the Raghubar Das government tried to amend the Chotanagpur Tenancy Act and the Santhal Parganas Tenancy Act to facilitate easier land acquisition norms.
After protests by Opposition and tribal groups, these amendments, too, were withdrawn.Read more KARNATAKA
Will Siddaramaiah quit if BJP wins all seats, asks Jagadish Shettar
Large and Medium Industries Minister Jagadish Shettar said here on Sunday that he wanted to know whether Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Siddaramaiah would resign if the BJP won all 15 seats in the bypolls.
He was responding to a challenge by Mr. Siddaramaiah to Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa to quit if the BJP failed to win at least eight of the 15 Assembly seats going to the bypolls.
Mr. Shettar maintained that there was no question of Mr. Yediyurappa resigning as the party was confident of winning all seats.
The Opposition parties will come out of their delusion of forming a government again in State on December 9, he remarked.
“Moreover, the Opposition is talking of forming a coalition government in the State again to divert the attention of people. They will not succeed and Mr. Yediyurappa will continue as Chief Minister for the next 42 months,” he said.TAMIL NADU
We are exposing DMK’s hypocrisy, not targeting Stalin personally: Vanathi Srinivasan
DMK president M.K. Stalin feels irritated on seeing the colour saffron, and the BJP is only exposing the DMK’s hypocrisy and double standards on various issues, not targeting its leader personally, says BJP State general secretary S. Vanathi Srinivasan. Excerpts:
BJP working president J.P. Nadda held a meeting with the party’s State Committee and Core Committee on Saturday. Were any important decisions taken?
He addressed the State office-bearers for about 20 minutes and motivated them. After that, we had the State Core Committee meeting, where we discussed the political situation in Tamil Nadu and the advantages we have been enjoying and the disadvantages we have been facing. The proposed local body polls were also discussed, and we expressed our opinion on the matter.
And what is that opinion? Going it alone?
No…so far, no decision has been taken. Mr. Nadda may consult with [party president] Amit Shah and other people involved in organisational matters, because it is an important decision as far as Tamil Nadu is concerned. It may take some time. We have expressed the wishes of our cadre to him.
The BJP appears particularly critical of DMK president M.K. Stalin, though his party has been out of power since 2011. Why?
May I ask why Mr. Stalin is targeting Prime Minister Modi? Even for issues remotely connected or not connected at all to the PM, he is targeting Mr. Modi. It is all political. There is no personal vengeance. Whatever may be our party’s stand on issues, it is quite natural and obvious [for us to criticise Mr. Stalin] since he’s the Opposition leader. In Tamil Nadu, he is leading the UPA. Wherever there is an anti-Modi brigade, he is joining hands with them
Source: The Hindu
Link:https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/top-political-developments-december-2-2019/article30135093.ece