Indira v/s Pawar row divides opposition in Maharashtra ahead of assembly session

The delay in farm loan waiver disbursal is expected to make the session a stormy affair

The rift in the Maharashtra opposition was exposed a day before the assembly session begins. Breaking convention, the Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress held separate press conferences. A fight on whether Indira Gandhi should come first or Sharad Pawar seems to have split the opposition in Maharashtra.

The Congress has shot off letters to the Legislative Council chairman seeking discussions on priority basis on former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's contributions to the country. The NCP wants a congratulatory resolution for Sharad Pawar who completes 50 years in politics. The Congress dashing off letters to the Chairman without their knowledge seems to have ticked the NCP off. Especially since they were all set to table the congratulatory resolution during the previous session but could not owing to farmers issues.

The Congress has demanded that centenary celebrations in praise of Indira Gandhi and a resolution remembering her contributions to the country were more important since she is a former Prime Minister while the NCP maintained that Pawar should be congratulated first. In a first, both parties addressed the press separately making the rift public. While the NCP has maintained that it was willing to work together, it also put the onus of explaining the separate press conference on the Congress.

The infighting among the opposition camp comes on the eve of Maharashtra assembly session where the delay in disbursal of farmer loan waiver is expected to be discussed. Despite being an ally, the Shiv Sena has already warned of exposing the BJP-led government in Maharashtra if it fails farmers in the state.

OneIndia News