Opposition boycotts tea party

Cites issues like farmers’ suicide, deteriorating law and order situation

Opposition Congress and NCP on Sunday boycotted chief minister Devendra Fadnavis’ customary tea party citing issues like farmers’ suicide, lack of relief package for farmers and deteriorating law and order situation in the state. Opposition leader Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil and Dhananjay Munde said both opposition parties would jointly “corner” the government over failure in several issues.

Addressing the media on Sunday on the eve of the Winter Session of the state legislature at Nagpur, Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, leader of Opposition in the state Assembly, blamed the ruling BJP government for failing on “every sector” including farmers suicide, giving financial support to farmers and maintain law and order situation in the state.

Dhananjay Munde, Leader of Opposition in state legislature council, said farmers have no option but to commit suicide as the government has ignored them. “A close relative of BJP minister Babanrao Lonikar too committed suicide, which shows how serious the BJP government is about the farmers issues,” Mr Munde said.

“Till date, 3,107 farmers have committed suicide across the state during last year. Prime minister Narendra Modi visited Vidarbha before the Lok Sabha elections and had announced several assurances for the suicide-prone region. However, nothing has happened,” Mr Vikhe-Patil said. “Instead of giving lecture to the country through Maan Ki Baat, the PM has to do kaam ki baat (act of work) for farmers,” Mr Patil suggested.

Mr Patil pointed out the differences between Shiv Sena and BJP and referred to Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray saying the next chief minister will be from the Sena. “The statement proves that Mr Uddhav doesn’t believe in the CM,” he said.

Mr Patil also raised questions over corruption in pulses. He said, “BJP sold the pulse at '100 per kg, but it was nothing but the showoff by BJP. Common people are still far away from getting the pulses at affordable rate.” He demanded the government should provide answers in the matter.

Mr Munde said despite severe drought in half of the state, the BJP government has not yet submitted the memorandum of demand to the Centre.