The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) launched a frontal attack on the Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and the BJP's Devendra Fadnavis at a large rally called "Vajramuth Sabha" (Clenched Fist Meeting) held at the BKC ground on Monday, on the occasion of Maharashtra founding Day and International Labour Day.
Sharad Pawar absent
Nationalist Congress Party President Sharad Pawar was conspicuous by his absence, as he did not attend the other two "Vajramuth" rallies held at Sambhaji Nagar and Nagpur.
Significantly, Uddhav Thackeray, in his speech, called for an inquiry against Gautam Adani, but at the same time, he suggested that crores of Indians should note how Adani rose up in business. He added that Adani's story should be included in textbooks. Out of the three partners of the MVA, the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the NCP are going soft on Adani, while the Congress alone is repeatedly targeting him.
Thackeray said the Shinde-led government reversed several decisions taken by his government, including the one pertaining to the Aarey car shed. He also questioned the BJP's accusations against him of taking advice from Sharad Pawar, asking what Industry Minister Uday Samant was doing recently when he called on Pawar to discuss the Ratnagiri refinery issue.
Uddhav Thackeray said that the refinery would not be allowed to come up until the demands of the local people were fulfilled. Referring to the recent disclosures made by former Governor of J & K Satyapal Malik, Uddhav Thackeray said they were serious in nature. He added that Modi was at the Jim Corbett park when the Pulwama terror attack took place. When he came out of the park, Malik asked him why the CRPF personnel were not transferred by aircraft. Modi simply asked him to shut up, he observed. He also questioned the BJP's accusations against him of appeasing the minorities, asking what RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat was doing in a mosque.
CM's observations on Adani and Babri underlined the lack of consensus within the MVA
Leaders of the MVA, including former CM Ashok Chavan and Nana Patole (both Congress), ex-Deputy CM Ajit Pawar and Jitendra Awhad (both NCP), Aaditya Thackeray and Sanjay Raut (Shiv Sena-UBT), addressed the gathering. Thackeray Sr. came down heavily on BJP Minister Chandrakant Patil for claiming recently that the Shiv Sena, under Bal Thackeray, had no role in the Babri episode. The former CM's observations on Adani and Babri underlined the lack of consensus within the MVA.
Chavan debunked the BJP's appeal for a triple engine administration (with the party in power at the Centre, the state, and in the upcoming BMC polls). He slammed the Modi government for "low-level" politics as shown in the dishousing of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. Instead of paying attention to pressing problems of the people like unemployment, inflation, and rising communalism, the BJP was weakening the nation through demonetization and other schemes.
Ajit Pawar showered praise on the late leader of the Shiv Sena, Bal Thackeray. He said the Constitution framed by Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar was under attack by the BJP government and this needed to be opposed collectively by all. He singled out CM Shinde and Dy CM Fadnavis for failing to tackle the problem of farmers who have been hit badly by unseasonal rains. He also said that law and order had with the ``Koyta gang" moving about openly targeting people.
