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1,500 km from Singhu border, celebrations erupt in Maharashtra

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Nearly 1,500 km away from the epicentre of the year-long farmers’ agitation, celebrations erupted in Maharashtra on Friday after Prime Minister Narendra Modi abruptly announced the yanking off of the three contentious farm laws, taking the nation by surprise akin to the demonetisation broadcast-blast.

Farmers and local leaders trooped out in places like Sangli, Palghar, Thane, Nashik, Satara, Kolhapur and other places to cheer the Prime Minister’s declaration — coming barely a week before the upcoming first anniversary of the peasants’ protests — by lighting fireworks, distributing sweets, dancing, hugging each other with joy, playing drums, offering thanksgiving prayers, and general revelry.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, currently convalescing, could not contain his excitement and said the farmers who are the breadwinners of the country deserved “3 Salutes” after their long struggle ended in victory.

“I welcome PM Modi’s announcement on Guru Nanak Jayanti. There was an atmosphere of strong opposition to the 3 laws all over India. But the breadwinners, who were victimised, showed their strength,” Thackeray said.

Chiding the Central government, he said the government should take into confidence all stakeholders including the Opposition before taking such decisions, and this would have prevented the “humiliation” of today.

Thackeray, the Shiv Sena President, also expressed optimism that the technicalities of the repeal process of the laws would be expedited since “the farmers’ agitation has still not ended”.

Maha Vikas Aghadi ally and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)president Sharad Pawar said he “salutes” the spirit of the peasants who braved the heat, cold, rains, labelled as ‘terrorists’ and inflicted other forms of humiliation, with many lives lost, but they finally achieved victory.

“The government rushed through the bills in Parliament without heeding to the Opposition demands for discussion… The government will have to pay the price for its mistakes… Elections are coming to Punjab and Uttar Pradesh and people were bound to question them on the three farm laws,” Pawar pointed out.

“We said in Parliament that agriculture is the soul of this country and economy… to solve the problems of hunger, and it (3 laws) must discuss in details while enacting the laws relating to the famers,” Pawar said.

State Congress president Nana Patole said that it was the fear of defeat in the coming elections that forced the “arrogant and dictatorial” government to bow before the united strength of the farmers.

“Not only the elections, the growing disenchantment among the masses has brought the BJP government to its knees. They are withdrawing the 3 laws. It is a historic victory for the farmers’ struggle. But the BJP will have to face the consequences,” Patole warned.

He said, in Maharashtra, the Congress had collected over six million farmers’ signatures and sent a memorandum to the President, the peasant protested on the border for a year under trying circumstances, but the Prime Minister had no time to meet them though over 700 lost their lives.

Patole said after the recent string of defeats in bypolls, the BJP reduced the petrol-diesel prices, now the farm laws, but the battle ahead will continue for other farmer-centric issues also.

Shiv Sena’s farmer-face and Vasantrao Naik Sheti Swavalamban Samiti President Kishore Tiwari — accorded an MoS status — said that after the 12-month long struggle, the farmers and people of the country have understood the “real motives” of the BJP government and how it is working for a handful of big industrialists.

“Hundreds of farmers have been martyred to the cause. The country has lost faith in the Narendra Modi government, they will show the BJP its place in the next elections. The historic agitation has served its purpose, the government has suffered a huge setback,” Tiwari said.

However, he said that the unending farmers suicides will not end — Maharashtra being the highest in the country, as per official data — till the BJP government takes this opportunity to bring about fundamental changes in the existing setup to genuinely benefit the peasantry as a long term solution to the end bloodshed in farmlands.

Top leaders of MVA from Shiv Sena, NCP, Congress, Samajwadi Party, Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana, All India Kisan Sabha, farm activists and others have hailed Modi’s move, urging that now “it’s time to get back to business” and do something long-lasting for the cause of the country’s ryots.

Incidentally, Maharashtra had contributed by sending several bus-loads of people at various intervals to the farmers protesting outside Delhi borders, and many top leaders visiting and addressing.

Maharashtra

Call for ‘limited’ officials in nationalist’s new resolution camp, resentment at its peak in Vidarbha

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Mumbai: There is growing resentment in the party due to the invitation of selected officials of Vidarbha to the two-day Navsankalp camp organized by the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in Shirdi. An atmosphere of discontent has been created as many senior leaders of Vidarbha were not invited to the camp.

Only four officials invited from Vidarbha

Only four officials from Nagpur district—Prashant Pawar (Nagpur city president), Baba Gujar (district president), Shrikant Shivankar (city working president), and Anil Ahirkar (state vice-president)—have been invited to this camp. The rest of the officials have been instructed not to attend this camp. There is deep resentment among other leaders due to this decision.

Questions of angry leaders

The Nationalist Congress had performed brilliantly in Vidarbha in the assembly elections. Six out of seven candidates had won. These officials say that after working hard in the elections, they are now being ignored. “Is our need over after the elections?” is the question raised by these leaders.

Complaint of displeasure to Ajit Pawar

Some displeased leaders have lodged their complaint by directly contacting Deputy Chief Minister and NCP National President Ajit Pawar. However, it is being told that Pawar has verbally given permission to some leaders to join the camp. Despite this, permission has not been given to join the camp without authorized invitation.

Fear of factionalism in Vidarbha

The Nationalist Congress is already organizationally weak in Vidarbha. But now there is a possibility of factionalism increasing due to such decisions. Some leaders allege that a senior leader of East Vidarbha has given a chance to join the camp only to his close associates.

Possibility of impact on civic elections

The civic and district council elections are near. In such a situation, growing displeasure and factionalism within the party can weaken the strength of the organization. The displeased workers also believe that sidelining them can have a negative impact on the party’s upcoming electoral performance.

The issue of displeasure may arise in the camp

The issue of dissatisfaction of Vidarbha is likely to be raised in this Navsankalp camp being held in Shirdi. If the leadership does not take concrete steps on this issue, this resentment can become a big headache for the party.

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Maharashtra

MLA Satish Chavan of Sharad Pawar’s group left, will join Ajit Pawar’s group, will participate in the program in Shirdi

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Mumbai: There has been a significant change in the factionalism going on in the Nationalist Congress Party. In the Lok Sabha elections, Sharad Pawar’s faction gave a big blow to Ajit Pawar’s faction. Sharad Pawar’s faction won 8 seats, while Ajit Pawar’s faction got only one seat. Also, the defeat of Sunetra Pawar also proved to be a big event. Before the assembly elections, there was a wave of people joining Sharad Pawar’s faction, but now after the elections, a big change is being seen in the situation.

After the assembly elections, some leaders of Ajit Pawar’s faction had hinted at joining Sharad Pawar’s faction, in which the names of some MPs were also being taken. However, both the Pawars had rejected this discussion. But now a prominent MLA of Sharad Pawar’s faction, Satish Chavan, has decided to leave Sharad Pawar. He is going to join Ajit Pawar’s faction, and his entry will take place at an event to be held in Shirdi.

Satish Chavan’s entry – a big blow to Sharad Pawar

Satish Chavan is currently an MLA and contested from Gangapur assembly seat. While he was in Sharad Pawar’s faction, he was suspended by Ajit Pawar for six years. He was defeated in the assembly elections, but now he has decided to return to Ajit Pawar’s faction. His decision is being considered a big blow to Sharad Pawar, because Chavan has given a new twist to his prophecy by joining Ajit Pawar’s faction.

Satish Chavan will join Ajit Pawar’s faction in a program to be held in Shirdi on Saturday. His party entry ceremony will be held in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in this program. Along with this, the decision of six years suspension against Chavan will also be withdrawn.

Chavan’s decision indicates increasing Ajit Pawar’s influence in Vidarbha

Satish Chavan’s entry into the party may further strengthen the influence of Ajit Pawar’s faction in Vidarbha. This development indicates internal conflict and factionalism in Sharad Pawar’s faction. Gangapur assembly seat was earlier with BJP, where Chavan contested from Sharad Pawar’s faction, but after the defeat, he is now joining Ajit Pawar’s faction.

It is hoped that this decision of Satish Chavan will further strengthen Ajit Pawar’s leadership and increase the organizational strength of Nationalist Congress in Vidarbha. This will prove to be a big setback for Sharad Pawar’s faction.

It is now being speculated that more leaders will enter Ajit Pawar’s faction and the unity of the party will increase, while internal conflict and factionalism may emerge once again in Sharad Pawar’s faction.

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Maharashtra

Angry Chhagan Bhujbal attends Nationalist convention in Shirdi

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Mumbai: Disgruntled leader Chhagan Bhujbal attended the Nationalist Congress Party convention in Shirdi. An important issue regarding his attendance was that Bhujbal was dissatisfied with the internal politics of the party. Bhujbal always expresses his opinion clearly and his attendance has given rise to many political discussions. Many leaders had made strong efforts for his attendance.

Bhujbal discussed with the party’s working president Praful Patel for two hours. In this discussion, the future of the party and various issues were discussed in detail. Bhujbal was upset with the party leadership for some time, but after this discussion he decided to attend the convention. During the discussion, there was also a phone conversation with Tatkare, which revealed important points of this discussion.

Bhujbal had contacted many political leaders to attend the Nationalist convention, but he did not succeed in contacting Ajit Pawar. There was some political turmoil due to Ajit Pawar’s absence, but Bhujbal ignored it and attended the convention.

All eyes are on what kind of guidance Bhujbal will give in the convention. His presence in this convention in Shirdi indicates that there may be a new turn in the internal politics of NCP. What will be his future role will be clear in the coming times.

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