The ruling Shiv Sena on Monday paid backhanded compliment to its senior alliance partner BJP by saying that while it was appreciable that the Devendra Fadnavis-led Government had inked 2,594 MoUs worth several lakh crores during the “Make In India” week, it had miserably failed to honour similar “understandings” reached with four smaller parties that helped the principal ruling party come to power in the State.
Not given to losing any opportunity to have a dig at his senior ruling alliance partner in the State, the Sena went for the jugular, the Sena charged that the BJP had not kept any of the promises made to four smaller allies like berths in the State Cabinet, chairmen’s posts of various State-run corporations and relief to the distressed farmers in the State.
The editorial, published in the Sena’s official mouth-piece “Saamana”, made the most of a slew of MoUs signed by the Maharashtra Government, to pick a bone with the BJP for its failure to deliver on any of the pre-poll promises made to the four smaller allies — the Republican Party of India, Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana, Shivsangram and Rashtriya Samaj Paksha.
First, the Sena heaped praise on the BJP-led Government for landing investment commitments worth several lakh crores of rupees. “As many as 2,594 MoUs were signed during the “Make In India” week. The investments worth `3,25,000 crore were promised for Mumbai—Konkan region, `1,50,000 crore for Vidarbha region and `25,000 crore for Khandesh. Also, `50,000 crore will be invested in Pune. These figures may vary because like air is filled in balloons, investment figures are usually inflated,” the Sena mouth-piece stated.
Subsequently, the Sena found fault with the BJP for not honouring any of the commitments it had made to four smaller allies. “For its Make-In-government, the BJP arrived at an understanding with four smaller parties… The four parties were offered promises like berths in the State Cabinet, chairmen’s posts in various State-run corporations and relief to the distressed farmers in the State. The parties of Mahadev Jankar, Sadabhau Khot, Ramdas Athawale and Raju Shetty were also promised respect in the government if they helped the BJP come to power. What happened to the understanding arrived at with four partiesIJ,” the Sena wondered.
“The smaller allies have revealed that none of the promises has been honoured by the BJP. If the MoUs signed with foreign investors meet the same fate, the Government will not even be able to recover costs to host the MII event,” the Sena editorial stated.
Slamming Maharashtra’s Advocate General Shrihari Aney whom it had — a few days ago — accused of having failed to defend the state government on the issue of farmers’ suicides, the Sena said: “Maharashtra Advocate General Shrihari Aney, who is hindering the growth and development of Maharashtra, should be sent to a far-off country like Finland or Tanzania.If the CM only succeeds in doing this, Make in India will become successful”.
The Sena had charged on Friday last that Aney had embarrassed the Devendra Fadnavis dispensation yet again through his submission before the Bombay High Court that the State administrative machinery was “inept” in preventing recurring farmers’ suicide in the State.
The Sena’s charge that the BJP has failed to keep up the promises it had made to its four smaller allies comes in the run-up to the Budget Session of the Maharashtra legislature.