Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday directed fast-tracking of major infrastructure projects in Maharashtra, including building of two new airports and expansion of one.
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 rebel legislators have been maintaining that they were forced to go against Thackeray as he kept ignoring their plea to snap ties with the MVA allies despite being told that these constituents were trying to 'finish off' the Sena.
A day after Konkan strongman Narayan Rane quit the Maharashtra cabinet, efforts to persuade him to take back his resignation failed on Tuesday and the matter would now be referred to Congress president Sonia Gandhi for resolving it.
However, the realty players will have to pursue their long-pending demands with the state government for abolition of the Urban Land Ceiling Act, speedy approvals to expedite redevelopment of Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority buildings, development of cluster development, rental and affordable housing.
The Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party leaders met on Tuesday morning to decide on seat sharing for the upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections but the talks were "inconclusive." With only four days left, to file nominations for the October 15 polls, time's running out for the 15-year-old alliance.
In a vitriolic attack on Sharad Pawar for equating the Shiv Sena to "ants that will be stuck to jaggery of power," the ruling alliance partner on Friday described the Nationalist Congress Party as "blood sucking leech" waiting to join hands with the BJP to be a part of Maharashtra government.
In a firm indication of fast-changing political equations in the influential sugar belt of Western Maharashtra, the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party have shaken the monolith of Congress-Nationalist Congress Party clout ingrained in the cooperative network with spectacular gains in the Assembly elections.
Maharashtra is exploring the option to develop a mass-rapid transit system in the regions to improve transport system.
Rejecting criticism that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not communicating, Union Minister Maneka Gandhi has said the focus was on performance which was "doing the talking".
Water scarcity condition in Maharashtra has become "critical" due to deficit rainfall, Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan said on Wednesday while asking citizens to save water and use electricity carefully.
"I received about 40 anonymous calls since Thursday evening. Some threatened to kill me while others wanted me to apologise to Pankaja," Sawant claimed.
All India Congress Committee General Secretary Sanjay Nirupam on Saturday threatened to immolate himself if his demand for reduction in power tariff in Mumbai was not accepted.
As reports of political parties swiftly switching loyalties -- to quench their thirst for power -- swirl over Maharashtra, Rediff.com speaks to different players involved in the game of thrones.
Putting up a brave face after its alliance in Maharashtra fell apart, the Congress on Friday targeted the Nationalist Congress Party alleging that it was trying to "get close" to the Bharatiya Janata Party, which was quick to rule out any truck with Sharad Pawar's party.
'Who else will solve these issues if not the chief minister?' 'Who else shall we take our complaints to?'
As Mumbai goes into a tizzy to felicitate batting legend Sachin Tendulkar on his retirement at the end of his 200th Test on November 18, the Maharashtra government has also decided to do its bit. It will present him a special silver trophy, bearing the signatures of all its 40 ministers.
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The commissioning of the 3-km Versova to Azad Nagar stretch of Mumbai Metro-I project will not be operational from September, as the Central Railway Safety Commissioner's approval is still awaited.
The Shiv Sena on Monday termed the "assault" on Marathi-speaking populace in Karnataka by the police as "Kannada terrorism" and asked the Narendra Modi government to intervene.
Shiv Sena legislators on Monday occupied opposition benches as the special three-day session of Maharashtra assembly began here during which Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will seek a trust vote as mandated by Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao when he stakes claim to form the government
The matter came up for hearing on Monday before a bench chaired by Justice R D Dhanuka.
The Narendra Modi government should adopt an aggressive "tit for tat" policy towards Pakistan and should teach it a lesson if it creates trouble for India, National Democratic Alliance constituent Shiv Sena said on Tuesday.
With the Congress announcing its first list of candidates amid continuing stalemate over seat sharing for Maharashtra Assembly polls, the Nationalist Congress Party leadership has gone into a huddle to decide its future course of action.
The ministry-making exercise took so long because many factors needed to be balanced. But now that it is in place, not everyone is happy with the resultant equation.
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren termed the hooting he faced by a section of crowd at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's function in Ranchi on Thursday as "rape of democracy", while his party Jharkhand Mukti Morcha demanded a public apology from Modi.
The Congress on Sunday announced that elections for its president will be held on October 17 with the winner being declared two days later, asserting that it is the only party in the country which undertakes such a democratic exercise.
A senior NCP leader said the government is likely to be formed before the first phase of the Jharkhand polls scheduled on November 30.
NCP chief Sharad Pawar also ruled out any alliance with the Sena.
Congress leaders from Maharashtra Ashok Chavan, Prithviraj Chavan and Pradesh Congress Committee chief Balasaheb Thorat attended the meeting along with the top brass of the party, including Ahmed Patel.
Prithviraj Chavan will inaugurate the elevated road linking the western express highway to T2 on Wednesday morning.
However, it was Narendra Modi's 27 rallies that attracted maximum attention.
Blaming Maharashtra Home Minister R R Patil for the deteriorating law and order situation in the state, the opposition on Friday demanded his resignation in the wake of the brutal gang rape of a 23-year-old photojournalist in Mumbai.
"We want to see Aaditya Thackeray as the next chief minister. But Uddhav ji will take the final decision," said Pratap Sarnaik, MLA from neighbouring Thane city.
Prasanna D Zore reports on the backroom drama accompanying the efforts to cobble together the next government in Maharashtra. 'While the Congress is insisting upon equal power sharing structure among all the three parties, the NCP is of the opinion that ministries should be distributed based on the number of MLAs belonging to each of the three parties.' Prasanna D Zore reports on the backroom room accompanying the efforts to cobble together the next government in Maharashtra.
'The voters of Maharashtra have taught a lesson to Modi's arrogance.'
The assembly election results are likely to put a lid on the impending battle the old guard and young Turks, strengthen the hands of the veterans, and force the younger leaders to negotiate a truce. Archis Mohan reports.
Here's how the heavyweights are faring.
However, he did not specify against whom he plans to take legal action.
Maharashtra and Haryana voted in assembly elections on Monday. Several prominent personalities also exercised their franchise.
'The cousins do not have a good rapport with each other in politics, though they may be having a good rapport with each other in family life.'
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