On the eve of floor test directed by the Governor BS Koshyari, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, after nine of Shiv Sena ministers staged rebellion, on Wednesday chaired cabinet meeting and told his allies NCP and Congress that his own partymen betrayed him that led to the present political crisis in Maharashtra. Thackeray became emotional and opened up his mind before his cabinet colleagues a day after he had appealed to the rebel camp led by Eknath Shinde to return to Mumbai and hold talks to find a way out. However, rebels had rejected Thackeray’s call saying that the time was over while pressing for the BJP-Sena government in the state.
State NCP chief and Water Resources Minister Jayant Patil after the meeting said, ‘’The Chief Minister today expressed satisfaction over the cooperation extended especially by NCP and Congress while running the Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government for the last two and half years. CM clearly said both NCP and Congress cooperated, but some of his party members betrayed him which is unfortunate.’’ Patil said. CM said he apologises if anybody is insulted or hurt by him.
To a question whether today’s was the last cabinet meeting of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, Patil said, "The Chief Minister has not commented on his resignation. The case is currently in the Supreme Court and it is ruled that the floor test will take place on Thursday. After that we will know whether today’s cabinet meeting was last or not.’’
Patil said the cabinet approved renaming of Aurangabad as Sambhajinagar and Osmanabad as Dharashiv while the Navi Mumbai International Airport is to be named after veteran PWP leader DB Patil. This apart, he said the cabinet gave nod for the implementation of turmeric research and processing policy for the state and the research and training centre, which will be named after Balasaheb Thackeray, will be set up in Hingoli district.
Further, the Civil Judge (Senior Level) Court will be set up at Karjat (Dist Ahmednagar). The cabinet approved the revised cost of the Ahmednagar-Beed-Parli Vaijnath railway line project with the state government’s contribution.
Meanwhile, the state cabinet also approved the reconstitution of statutory development boards of rest of Maharashtra, Vidarbha and Marathwada which was pending since April 30, 2020 after their tenure was completed. The MVA government had not approved their reconstitution and sent it for the Presidential consent.
