Nagpur: A staunch supporter of a separate Vidarbha state, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Ashish Deshmukh from Katol has taken Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray head on over the latter’s opposition to holding the monsoon session of state Assembly in Nagpur from July 4.

Mr Deshmukh said that Mr Thackeray’s stand once again made it clear that the Shiv Sena was against the interests of the people of Vidarbha.

A Cabinet sub-committee headed by State finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar, with parliamentary affairs minister Girish Bapat as a member, had earlier this week had given its approval to convening at least a month-long monsoon session in this second capital of the state from July 4. They had sent the recommendations to the presiding officers of both the houses for approval. Sena minister Subhash Desai was the third member of the sub-committee.

However, during his Marathwada tour, Mr Thackeray said in Aurangabad that there was no need to hold an additional session in Nagpur and that issues related to Vidarbha could be amicably discussed in Mumbai.