Maharashtra: PM Modi's Scheduled Shirdi Visit Leads To Unease Within CM Eknath Shinde's Camp

Mumbai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Shirdi on Thursday to launch a couple of development projects. However, the visit has led to unease within the camp of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde as the local MP Sadashiv Lokhande who belongs to his party has accused the revenue minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil and his son MP Dr Sujay Vikhe-Patil of keeping him in dark about the details of the visit.

The Vikhe-Patil duo is keeping an eye on even the minutest details related to the visit. However, in doing so they have not taken into confidence the local party apparatus of the allies as well as their own BJP. MP Lokhande has expressed reservations over the way the PM's visit is being planned on the local level exposing the soft underbelly of the ruling MahaYuti alliance.

Lokhande, who spoke to the media at the Shirdi government guest house on Monday raised questions over why all the key political programs of senior leaders are organized only in the northern part of the district and added that he will be pushing for carving out a new district in the southern part. Interesting Lokhande was flanked by BJP MLAs Ram Shinde and Monika Rajale during the meet.

Lokhande also said that he will be demanding an AIIMS-like hospital and an IT park for Shirdi."I had gone to Ahmednagar when I came to know of a meeting regarding PM's tour. When I reached there, I realized the invitations were sent out along with local government officers. The meeting was at 11 am and the messages were sent at 8 am," MP Lokhande said.

Lokhande also added that since the PM is coming to his constituency to dedicate the development projects, he has decided not to speak much, but added that he would express at an appropriate stage at some other point in time.