Major Blow to MVA Unity as NCP (SP) Boycotts Crucial Pre-Budget Meeting

Mumbai: The budget session is starting today in Mumbai, and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) was going to corner the Mahayuti government on issues like corruption and law and order. But on the eve of the beginning of the session, a big fight broke out within the MVA. NCP (SP) did not participate in the important meeting on Sunday, which caused great embarrassment to the MVA.

Why did NCP (SP) leave the meeting? 

It is reported that NCP (SP) was angry with the statements given by its alliance partners on Rajya Sabha elections, hence did not come to the meeting. However, the MVA described it as a "lack of communication." They say that some leaders were out, and some were late due to work. But the truth is that after the meeting, a press conference was held at the Nariman Point office of the Army (UBT), where Mahayuti was fiercely attacked.

What allegations did MVA make against Mahayuti?

The MVA boycotted the tea party hosted by the government and said the Mahayuti lacked "arrogance and dignity". They raised questions on the non-appointment of the leader of the opposition in the assembly and said that the BJP is afraid of the opposition. They also criticized the government's "unclear" stand on the plane crash that killed Ajit Pawar.

Apart from the death of Ajit Pawar, what will the opposition raise?

The opposition has formulated several issues:

• Last week, the ACB raided the office of FDA Minister Narhari Jirwal. Congress leader Satej Patil said that the raid in Mantralaya cannot be done without the approval of CM and Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis. "Was this done to corner the NCP?"
• The cost of Shaktipeeth Highway Project increased from Rs 86,000 crore to Rs 1.02 lakh crore, despite the opposition of farmers, the government is taking it forward.
• Prices of soybean and other crops fell due to the trade deal with America. Congress's Vijay Wadettiwar said, "Farmers are being looted, soybean is being sold at 4,000 quintals and maize at 1,600 quintals—below the MSP. Farmers are being forced to commit suicide."

What did Aditya Thackeray say about Mulund accident?

Sena (UBT) MLA Aditya Thackeray slammed the government over the death of two people after an autorickshaw crushed them under the parapet being built at the metro site in Mulund. "Compensation is only Rs 5 lakh? Is this the price of human life? There are no jobs in cities, common people are being crushed under the burden of infrastructure projects. For whom is this state running?"

What answer did Fadnavis and Shinde give?

CM Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde hit back in the press conference after the tea party. Fadnavis said, "The opposition gave a letter of tea party boycott, but the MLA of Sharad Pawar group was missing, they even took the signatures of the former MLA." He said that the opposition repeatedly insults the mandate and insults the people by calling the ruling party arrogant.

Fadnavis said that 15 bills will be presented in the session, a good budget will be presented—it will provide relief to the common man but will maintain fiscal discipline. Populist schemes will not stop.

The session has started, but the politics of Mumbai is heated due to the discord within the MVA and the counteraction of the Mahayuti. It remains to be seen which issues create uproar in the next few days.