MVA boycotts customary tea party on eve of Maharashtra Budget session

The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi on Sunday boycotted the traditional tea party ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly session here, accusing the Eknath Shinde-led government of sparking social tensions over reservation and misleading the Maratha community. The week-long Budget session of the legislature begins on Monday during which the vote on account will be presented. Assembly elections are due in the state later this year.

MVA comprises the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and Sharad Pawar faction of NCP, while the ruling coalition has BJP, Shinde-led Shiv Sena and NCP group under Ajit Pawar as partners. Chief Minister Shinde had hosted the tea party.

After a meeting of MVA leaders, Leader of Opposition in Assembly Vijay Wadettiwar said in a press conference that the government had failed to check farmer suicides.


The Congress leader accused the government of encouraging criminalisation of politics and triggering social tensions over reservation and misleading the Maratha community for its "own selfish political interest".

The developments in the state have tarnished its image. "We don't wish to be a part of the government's sins by attending the tea party," he said.

The opposition has attacked the government over the "deteriorating law and order" situation in the state in the backdrop of the killing of Sena (UBT) leader Abhishek Ghosalkar and Kalyan (East) BJP MLA Ganpat Gaikwad shooting Shinde Sena leader Mahesh Gaikwad inside a police station.

Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Ambadas Danve, NCP (Sharad Pawar) legislator Anil Deshmukh, Sena (UBT)'s Sunil Prabhu, Peasants and Workers Party of India leader Jayant Patil, Samajwadi Party member Abu Asim Azmi and Congress legislature party leader Balasaheb Thorat were present at the press conference.