Sharad Pawar says no to Mumbai-Nagpur expressway

MUMBAI: NCP chief Sharad Pawar has joined the state government allies in opposing the Nagpur-Mumbai Samruddhi corridor. He said that his party will start an agitation to oppose the Super Expressway project.

Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, Pawar said that his party will support the farmers who don't want their land to be acquired for the 8-lane expressway. He said that he would bring together all the project-affected farmers and address a rally in Aurangabad on June 12.

NCP's opposition queers the matter for the state government as already two of its allies have opposed the project.While the Shiv Sena has publicly opposed the project and said that it will oppose any land acquisition for the project, the Swabhimaani Shetkari Sangathana (SSS) said that they too would oppose the project.

Interestingly, Sena's opposition has caused a strange situation as Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), which is executing the project, is headed by Sena minister Eknath Shinde.

NCP supremo reiterated that he was not interested in the President's post as he 'didn't want to retire from politics'. He added that he has already said this during a meeting of the opposition parties in Delhi.

The NCP chief said if the BJP takes the Opposition into confidence on the candidate for the President's post, then the opposition parties could support the government. However, in case the government does not do that, then the opposition parties are free to go ahead with their own candidate.