Former State finance minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sudhir Munganitwar created a flutter in the Assembly on Thursday by accepting that his party had “fooled” Shiv Sena in the power game after the 2019 Assembly elections.
Participating in the discussion on the State’s budget 2020-21, Mr. Mungantiwar said, “Our government played the politics of development but this government’s politics is of stalling projects.”
Looking towards the treasury benches, Mr. Mungantiwar said the “chief minister is your friend for three months, but our relation dates back 30 years,” highlighting the long- standing BJP-Sena ties. To this, some members from the treasury benches commented “still you ditched them”.
“Yes, we ditched the Shiv Sena, but don’t try to take advantage of our mistake. One day we will rectify it,” said Mr. Mungantiwar.
The former minister’s statement comes after he said that both the BJP and the Sena were in alliance for 30 years and this Maha Vikas Aghadi tripartite alliance has not even completed 30 months.
Referring to the ongoing crisis in Madhya Pradesh after former Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia switched over to the BJP, Mr. Mungantiwar added that may be tomorrow there will be a Scindia here as well. “Tomorrow, one Jyotiraditya from you will join us and we will have our government back. That time we will have our government of development and not of stalling projects,” he said.
Mr. Mungantiwar said the Shiv Sena had made a “mistake” which will be rectified one day.
‘MVA will fall’
He said that the present Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government has completed 100 days now. “The government will fall after it commits 100 crimes,” he said.
The Shiv Sena however chose not to comment on the statement. When asked, Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray said that the Sena will only continue to work as it has been doing and refused to comment further.
The statement from Mr. Mungantiwar comes at a time when BJP, especially former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, is refusing that there was any understanding on the CM’s post before Assembly polls. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray while quitting the alliance with the BJP had said that the BJP did not keep its word of sharing the CM post for two-and-a-half years.
Mr. Fadnavis was not present in the House during Mr. Mungantiwar’s speech.
Drivers for MLAs
The House also amended the Maharashtra Legislature Members’ Salaries and Allowances Act to allow lawmakers to employ a driver at government expenses. As per the amended Act, every member shall be entitled to the service free of charge.
Mr. Mungantiwar had made the demand during the budget session. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anil Parab, who introduced the Bill to amend the Act, said the existing law does not provide the facility to MLAs.
Members will be entitled to appoint any person below the age of 60 at a fixed salary of ₹ 15,000.
(With PTI inputs)
