With the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party seat-sharing talks deadlocked over the latter's insistence on getting more seats to contest the assembly polls, Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan on Sunday said he is against breaking the alliance but party workers feel the ally's "body language is anti-Congress".
The Sindhudurg police on Saturday registered an FIR against Nilesh Rane, an MLA of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, for "trespassing" into a BJP supporter's house. The Shiv Sena leader had 'raided' the BJP supporter's home and claimed to have found bags of cash meant for distribution to voters ahead of civic polls.
'This will split the Marathi and Shiv Sena vote.' 'The BJP has conducted 3 surveys indicating they shall secure 109 seats in the BMC.' 'They do not wish for the Shinde Sena to demonstrate excessive strength in the BMC.' 'If the Thackerays secure 60-70 seats, that will affect Shinde's seats.'
The Maharashtra legislative assembly passed the 'Maharashtra Special Public Security Bill' aimed at preventing unlawful activities of Left Wing Extremist organizations, focusing on urban Naxalism and passive militancy.
"Whatever happens, the next chief minister of Maharashtra will be Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray," said party spokesperson Sanjay Raut even as trends indicated that Sena would not come out on top in the state.
The NCP and NCP (SP), led by Ajit Pawar and Sharad Pawar respectively, have formed an alliance for the upcoming Pune Municipal Corporation elections. This development follows a similar alliance for the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation elections and aims to consolidate their position in the region.
His remarks come after the Sindhudurg Police registered an FIR against Nilesh Rane on Friday on the charge of trespassing on a BJP supporter's house, days after the Shiv Sena MLA alleged that bags of cash meant for distribution to voters were found there during his "sting operation".
Maharashtra CM Vilasrao Deshmukh said on Thursday that the state government was giving priority to rehabilitation of the rain-affected persons.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan on Tuesday told the Maharashtra assembly that he, as Union Minister of State for Personnel and Training, was unaware of any negative vigilance report or pending criminal case against P J Thomas before the latter's appointment as the Central Vigilance Commissioner.
Citing Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar president Sharad Pawar on Saturday supported a probe into the controversial land deal allegedly linked to the company of his grandnephew Parth Pawar.
The cheque for the full amount has been returned to the fund's kitty, days after the opposition slammed the move given the acute drought in the state.
The Shiv Sena-BJP combine has accused Sushilkumar Shinde of furnishing wrong information and misleading the legislature.
Amid talk that BJP Maharashtra unit chief Devendra Fadnavis could be party's chief ministerial choice, Nagpur-East MLA Krishna Khopde on Wednesday offered to quit and vacate his seat to pave way for his mentor Nitin Gadkari, after voices grew louder on bringing back the Union Minister to the state to don the mantle.
Campaigning for the elections to 29 municipal corporations in Maharashtra has ended, with the battle for Mumbai's BMC taking center stage. Key political players are vying for control, with a focus on Marathi and Hindu voters.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has said that he has no connection with the alleged multi-crore land deal in Pune involving his son, Parth Pawar.
Maharashtra Chief Minster Ashok Chavan on Thursday condemned Uddhav and Raj Thackeray for 'touching a new low' in politics with their comments on All India Congress Committee general secretary Rahul Gandhi. "Nowhere in Indian politics has such a low level of personal allegations been witnessed. I condemn their (Uddhav and Raj Thackeray) utterances," said Chavan.
The Maharashtra government has requested information regarding the utilization of funds by the Vasantdada Sugar Institute (VSI), led by Sharad Pawar, prompting criticism from the NCP (SP). The government insists it's a routine process, while the opposition alleges political targeting.
The Maharashtra government said on Saturday that it would ensure security for screening of movies of actor Shah Rukh Khan, under Shiv Sena threat for favouring inclusion of Pakistani cricketers in the Indian Premier League, and asserted that it will act against anyone trying to "bully" others.
Lakhs of devotees congregated at the temple town of Pandharpur on Saturday to witness the maha puja of Lord Vitthal and Rukhmini on the occasion of Ashadhi Ekadashi.
Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS release a joint manifesto for Mumbai civic polls, promising free power, allowances for domestic helps, and property tax waivers.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday paid floral tributes at the city police headquarters to those who made the ultimate sacrifice while fighting terrorists during the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said local residents must be given priority in jobs at the upcoming Vadhavan Port project in Palghar district, and warned that any attempts to deprive them of their 'rightful employment' at the mega facility would not be tolerated.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Saturday said officials responsible for registering documents should have refused to process agreements that were not permissible under the law and clearly informed the parties concerned about such limitations.
Under attack from his own party members, Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan on Saturday met Congress president Sonia Gandhi but parried questions on leadership change over issues like "non-performance". After meeting Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Chavan told reporters, "I cannot comment on what they feel. I cannot comment on (the fate of) party leadership or government leadership in the state".
Addressing a press conference after an hour-long meeting with anti-graft crusader Anna Hazare, the chief minister said the Lokpal Bill was likely to be passed in the current session of Parliament.
Chavan's meeting with Gandhi came a day after the conclusion of the budget session of the state legislature and close on the heels of reports that the Congress high command has told him to quickly get his act together or else it would be forced to look for a replacement.
An amended government order issued on Tuesday said Hindi will "generally" be the third language, instead of being mandatory, but gave an option to opt out if 20 students per grade in a school express the desire to study any Indian language other than Hindi.
A fashion show that highlighted age-old Indian arts and crafts.
A woman doctor of a government hospital allegedly died by suicide in Maharashtra's Satara district, leaving behind a note accusing two police personnel of rape and mental harassment, police said on Friday.
Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray leader Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday said he didn't harbour aspirations to become Maharashtra CM, a remark coming against the backdrop of Maha Vikas Aghadi allies' reluctance to face assembly polls with a CM face.
There is no confusion or dispute in the 'Mahagathbandhan' over Tejashwi Yadav being the main face for the Bihar chief minister's post, Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar said on Friday while asserting that the CM will be from the Rashtriya Janata Dal if the alliance gets a majority in the upcoming polls.
'I challenge Pawar Saheb (Sharad Pawar) to announce their face for the CM post'
Nitesh won the 2014 assembly polls from Kankavli seat in Sindhudurg district on Congress's ticket by defeating the then BJP MLA Pramod Jathar.
NCP (SP) head Sharad Pawar criticized Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's 'vote or no funds' remark, deeming it inappropriate to seek votes based on financial assurances. He also stated that the state government's aid to farmers is insufficient.
Unhappy with the bickering within the ruling coalition of the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party in Maharashtra, Chief Minister Ashok Chavan exhorted his ministers to adhere to the 'coalition dharma'.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar says his son Parth was unaware that the land his company purchased in Pune belonged to the government. The controversial transaction has been cancelled, and a probe has been ordered.
Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray leader Sanjay Raut on Wednesday claimed that Uddhav Thackeray planned to make Eknath Shinde the chief minister of Maharashtra after the 2019 polls, but first the Bharatiya Janata Party and later Maha Vikas Aghadi allies including Sharad Pawar played a spoilsport.
Chavan told television channel CNN-IBN that the state government would pull out all stops to ensure the film's release on February 12. "We have told them that we'll withdraw security of all those people who are involved in those activities. I have already withdrawn the security of all Shiv Sena leaders, and if required, I will also withdraw the security of Uddhav Thackeray," he said.
Moving ahead with the process of forming a government, newly-elected Bharatiya Janata Party legislators in Maharashtra will meet here today to elect their leader amid Shiv Sena's expression of desire for a coalition government of the two saffron parties.
