Mumbai: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Saturday said that the Pune rape accused was hiding in a sugarcane farm and was caught using a drone. He assured that a thorough investigation is underway to ensure justice.

“Till day before yesterday, people were raising questions about why he was not arrested. He was hiding in a sugarcane farm. We used a drone to catch him. His situation was such that he tried to die by suicide. I am firm on the point that such incidents shall not happen anywhere. Now, efforts are being made to get the case investigated properly. Let the facts come out after a detailed investigation. Action will be taken against those who are vandalising public property,” Pawar said.

The accused Dattatray Ramdas Gade was absconding since the incident happened on Tuesday, when the rape survivor, a working woman, was waiting for a bus to return home to Phaltan, which is located around 100 km away.

The accused allegedly approached her, falsely claiming that the bus to her destination was parked elsewhere. He led her to a MSRTC Shivsahi bus parked in the depot, where he allegedly raped her.

A Pune court on Friday remanded Dattatray Ramdas Gade, the accused in the Pune bus rape case, to 12 days of police custody till March 12.

Meanwhile, speaking on Maharashtra politics, Pawar commented on Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s statement about expanding the Shiv Sena’s influence across the state.

“Everyone has the right to expand their party. Wherever Eknath Shinde goes in the state, he can say that he wants to saffronise the district. In the same way, CM Fadnavis can say he wants to see the BJP’s flag in the whole district. Similarly, I can also say that I want to see NCP’s flag everywhere in the state. But there is nothing special about it. We have decided to be united. It’s the people who decide who gets the mandate. We keep the interest of the state ahead while working,” he added.

Mumbai: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge announced new appointments for the party’s legislative wing in Maharashtra. The appointments include key leadership roles in both the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council, aiming to strengthen the party’s functioning in the state legislature.

List Of Legislative Assembly Appointments

In the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, senior leader Amin Patel has been appointed as the Deputy Leader of the Congress Legislative Party. Former minister Amit Deshmukh will serve as the Chief Whip, ensuring party discipline and coordination among MLAs. Vishwajit Kadam has been given the role of Secretary, while Shirishkumar Naik and Sanjay Meshram have been appointed as Whips to assist in legislative proceedings.

List Of Legislative Council Appointments

For the Maharashtra Legislative Council, Satej alias Bunty Patil has been named as the Group Leader of the Congress Party. Abhijit Wanjari will take charge as the Chief Whip, responsible for managing party strategies in the upper house. Rajesh Rathod has been assigned as a Whip to support the party’s legislative work.

The appointments are seen as part of Congress’s efforts to streamline its leadership and strengthen its position in the Maharashtra legislature ahead of crucial political developments in the state.

Harshwardhan Sapkal Takes Over As Maha Congress Chief

Meanwhile, newly-appointed Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal officially assumed office on Feb 18, pledging to strengthen the party’s organization and lead it back to power in the state.

Sapkal’s appointment came as a surprise to many in political circles, as he was a relatively lesser-known figure within the party. The decision sparked mixed reactions, with some Congress loyalists expressing disappointment, particularly on social media, where they expected a more seasoned leader to take charge.

However, Sapkal remained unfazed by the criticism and embraced the challenge with confidence. During his inaugural speech, he made a powerful statement by quoting the iconic lines, “Sarfaroshi ki tamanna ab hamare dil mein hai, zor kitna baazue kaatil mein hai…”, signaling his determination to lead the party with vigor.

The event was attended by key Congress leaders, including Ramesh Chennithala, Nana Patole and former Chief Ministers Prithviraj Chavan and Sushilkumar Shinde, who extended their support to the new state president.

Mumbai: Months after facing a humiliating defeat in the Assembly elections, the Shiv Sena (UBT) is now vying for the position of Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.

About The Decision

At a meeting at Matoshree, the residence of party chief Uddhav Thackeray, on Friday, all 20 elected MLAs unanimously backed the party’s decision to stake a claim for the role. The legislators solidified their position by signing a document to formalise their demand. The UBT plans to submit a formal letter to the Secretary of the Assembly on the first day of the budget session, which is set to begin on Monday.

According to sources, key names being considered within the party for the position include Aaditya Thackeray, Bhaskar Jadhav, and Sunil Prabhu. The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) suffered a significant defeat in the assembly elections, with none of its three major parties securing enough seats to automatically claim the LoP position. However, speculation is rife that the Assembly Speaker has the discretion to grant the position to the opposition.

With the state’s budget session set to begin on March 3, the UBT is expected to formally stake its claim for the post.

‘Party MLAs Have Unanimously Supported The Move,’ Says Senior Shiv Sena-UBT Leader Ambadas Danve

Commenting on the matter, Ambadas Danve, Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council and a senior UBT leader, stated that party MLAs have unanimously supported the move.

“Shiv Sena (UBT) will definitely claim the Leader of Opposition position in the Assembly. Party chief Uddhav Thackeray will soon make an official announcement. In our meeting, our MLAs clearly expressed that the party should assert its claim,” Danve told the media.

When asked whether Congress and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) would support their claim, Danve responded, “This is not a matter of support but of numbers. The party with the highest number of opposition MLAs should get the post. The final decision, however, rests with the Assembly Speaker. Our MLAs have made their stance clear, but Uddhav Thackeray will take the final call.”

On whether Aaditya Thackeray, Bhaskar Jadhav, or Sunil Prabhu were frontrunners for the position, Danve dismissed any speculation. “There has been no internal discussion on specific names yet. The final decision lies with our party chief. Since there is still uncertainty regarding the government’s and opposition’s stance on the matter, we haven’t proposed any names so far,” he clarified.

Meanwhile, speaking to Media, Bhaskar Jadhav reaffirmed the party’s long-standing claim to the position. “Our demand has been there from the beginning. The final decision on the name will be taken by the party chief,” he said.