All three ruling parties in Maharashtra on Saturday said essential services won’t be hit in the State bandh called on Monday to protest against the killing of farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri.
The Shiv Sena, the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) held a joint press conference on Saturday announcing that all three parties will join the bandh with full force.
Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut said his party will participate in the bandh.
At a press conference along with NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik and State Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant, Mr. Raut said the call for bandh was necessary to wake people up against the anti-farmer policies of the Central Government.
“Farmers are not alone in this fight and the process of showing solidarity with them must begin from Maharashtra,” said Mr. Raut.
Joint Opposition strategy
The Shiv Sena leader said he had discussed the need for a joint Opposition strategy with NCP’s Sharad Pawar and Rahul Gandhi, adding that other States must follow Maharashtra's lead to express solidarity with farmers.
Mr. Pawar on Friday asked his party members to peacefully but effectively succeed in the bandh. The Congress has already extended its support.
