'It feels like Sena and BJP pulled April Fool in March'

Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil

Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, leader of Opposition

A day before the Assembly's budget session, opposition parties have accused the BJP of misleading people in the name of transparency and slammed Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for changing his stand at the last minute to support former ally Shiv Sena in the BMC.

The Opposition has boycotted Fadnavis's tea party, the event where all parties come together for a chat before the budget session.

Giving a rest to all speculations, the BJP had announced its support to Sena in the mayor election, which will be held on March 8.

Attacks BJP for turnaround
On Sunday, the Congress attacked the BJP for its decision to withdraw from BMC's mayoral race in favour of the Sena, saying it amounted to an 'April Fool' prank on the people.

Coming down heavily on the ruling parties, leader of Opposition in state assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil said, "The way both the parties (Sena and BJP) criticised each other during the recent poll campaigns and the manner in which the BJP paved the way for the Sena to have its mayor, I think it is like an April Fool joke in the month of March."

The comment was made in a joint press conference with leader of Opposition in the Council Dhananjay Munde on the eve of the budget session.

"BJP leaders were thumping their chest and claiming that the next BMC mayor would be from their party. What happened to that?" Vikhe Patil asked.

"People voted the BJP to power to be a transparent party. It has denied itself even this role."

All for BMC
The Congress leader accused the Sena of being indifferent to farmers' plight and said, "The Sena is backstabbing the farmers as the party asked for a loan waiver when it went to meet the CM during the election campaign with an eye on zilla parishad seats. With the decks cleared for BMC mayor's post, it is clear that it was interested only in the corporation. It made hollow statements related to farmers and has now forgotten their plight."

"We will see whether the Sena really cares for farmers and supports us when we raise the loan waiver demand in the coming session," Vikhe Patil added.

When asked about Fadnavis's decision to withdraw from the mayor's race, Munde said, "By negotiating for BMC mayor's post, the CM is trying to save the BJP government in Maharashtra."

He too took a dig at the Chief Minister Fadnavis over loan waiver for farmers. "Fadnavis is checking the horoscope to find a suitable date to issue a loan waiver," he said.

"This (BJP) government is treating the corporates softly but not the farmers," alleged Vikhe Patil, claiming that even farmer leaders, namely Raju Shetti, were not happy, "though he is a BJP ally".
With inputs from agencies