Mumbai, Aug 10 (Representative) Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee president Nana Patole on Tuesday took a jibe at the Eknath Shinde and Devendra Fadnavis-led coalition government in the state, questioning whether this government is working in the interest of Maharashtra or Gujarat.The state cabinet has been expanded after 39 days since the formation of the Shinde and Fadnavis government, but it has money to pay Rs 6,000 crore for the interest of Gujarat and Prime Minister Narendra Mondi’s dream project bullet train, he said in a release.”From this, the ED (Eknath and Devendra) government’s intentions are very clear and the government is harmful for the state,” he said.
Speaking further in this regard, Patole said that the farmers of Vidarbha and Marathwada regions in Maharashtra have suffered a lot due to heavy rains and noted that they have demanded financial assistance for these affected farmers, but the state government has given priority to Modi’s ambitious bullet train project rather than the farmers of the state.”We have demanded substantial financial assistance to these affected farmers, but the state government considers Narendra Modi’s ambitious bullet train project more important than the farmers of our own state,” he maintained. “It is unfortunate that the Shinde-Fadnavis government has money for the bullet train project, but not for the state farmers,” he pointed. “This explains the priorities of the government. The fate of this government is still hanging in court, but they have no time to wait for the court’s verdict,” he said. The MPCC chief further said that this government is unconstitutional but as the resentment among MLAs grew, the cabinet expansion seems to have finally received the green light from the Delhi high command after seven trips to Delhi, he observed.
On induction of Sanjay Rathod and Abdul Sattar in the new ministry, he said that Rathod was removed from the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi government due to serious allegations against him and on demands of BJP. “Today, the same Sanjay Rathod has been made a minister again in the Shinde-BJP-led government,” he said in a dig. Also, in case of Abdul Sattar, he informed that there were allegations that the family members of MLA Sattar have benefitted from the TET exam scam and now, he has been given a place in the cabinet, he said. “Corrupt people are being given a place of honour in this government. The real face of BJP has been exposed today,” he said. On one hand it (BJP) made allegations against people when in the opposition and asked the central government to launch ED, IT, CBI inquiries against them but on the other hand, such people are given ministership in their own government, he stressed.Notably, not a single woman has been given a place in the cabinet shows how much BJP respects women, Patole added.