Maharashtra
Shinde-Fadnavis combine loses no time to dismantle MVA legacy

Barely hours after they were sworn-in on June 30 evening, the new Chief Minister Eknath S. Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis indicated that they meant business.
One of the first major decisions was to strike down the erstwhile Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) proposal to construct the Mumbai Metro 3 car-shed in Kanjurmarg, instead of the lush green Aarey Colony — where it was originally planned by Fadnavis during his tenure as the CM (2014-2019).
The Shinde-Fadnavis’ move, though anticipated, attracted howls of protest from greens, activists and even former CM Uddhav Thackeray — who was like a �godfather’ to Aarey Colony — and his son ex-Minister Aditya Thackeray.
A sad Thackeray publicly appealed, with �folded hands’ to Shinde-Fadnavis, not to bring back the Metro car-shed to Aarey Colony forests in the interests of Mumbai and the city’s environment, while Aditya urged the new regime not to vent their angst against the Thackerays on Mumbaikars.
Fadnavis responded with the right noises that he would �respect’ Thackeray’s sentiments before taking any final decision and days later, uprooted the Additional Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide to reinstate her as the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (MMRCL) Managing Director.
In October 2019, as the then MMRCL MD, Bhide — often regarded as the �mother-in-law’ of Mother Nature, had shocked the nation when Aarey Colony overnight got a massive haircut — 2,141 trees were chopped off in barely 40 hours, or @1 tree/minute�!
Thackeray Jr., Congress workers, green groups and activists have been fuming and protesting at the new regime’s latest reversal, but Bhide is entrusted with the task of pushing through the contentious proposal.
After the MVA allies, Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party, had scuttled the Centre’s plans to construct the terminus for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Project in the Bandra Kurla Complex, the Shinde-Fadnavis ministry took a relook at the much delayed mega-project.
They have resolved to build the Bullet Train terminus at the original intended BKC site and ordered the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to shut down and pack up its 2-year-old Covid Jumbo Field Hospital there within 2 months, by September.
In another jolt, the government has scrapped over 4,000 big and small water conservation projects in the state worth more than Rs 5,000 crore, designed to make the state �drought-free’ by 2025.
However, in contrast, the government has decided to �revive’ the “Jalyukt Shivar Project”, the pet scheme of Fadnavis when he was the CM, but which was struck down by the MVA.
The Thackeray regime had based its decision on an open enquiry into the project after the CAG expressed doubts about the JST’s effectiveness, and later a probe panel had submitted a report highlighting various irregularities in that scheme.
The government has also opted to bring back the Emergency Pension Scheme, introduced by Fadnavis in 2018, rewarding those who had undergone jail terms during the Emergency (1975-1977), considered a dark chapter in Indian history.
The MVA government had yanked off the EPS — Fadnavis suspects it was done under pressure from the Congress — which entitled a pension of between Rs 5000-Rs 10,000 depending on the period of imprisonment the beneficiary had undergone.
Shinde also struck down the decision cancelling direct election of village Sarpanches and Municipal Council Presidents – introduced in 2017 by Fadnavis, and which was removed by the Thackeray government in 2020.
These reversals or cancellations have taken place despite an assurance by the Shinde-Fadnavis government that they would refrain from dumping any policies, projects or schemes of the MVA, unless they are found to be absolutely inessential.
However, giving a minor concession, the three-week old government assured that it would �review’ the MVA’s proposal to rename Aurangabad as �Sambhajinagar’ and Osmanabad as �Dharashiv’. The AIMIM has cried foul and the Nationalist Congress Party had dissociated itself from the original move.
Now, the Sena-NCP-Congress combine is worried that the axe could fall on several other mega projects it had launched during the 31-month-long MVA rule.
Of particular concern are the Rs 1,600-crore water desalination plant to make Mumbai self-sufficient in drinking water, and the ongoing Mumbai Coastal Road Project — both intended to be �show-pieces’ of the Shiv Sena ahead of the BMC elections.
General
The opposition criticized the government after the death of 31 people, including 12 children, in Nanded hospital.

Mumbai: (Yusuf Rana) The total death toll in 48 hours has reached 31 with the death of 7 people, including 4 infants, who were undergoing treatment at Shankarrao Chavan Government Hospital in Nanded. These deaths have shocked the people of the state. The public demand is gaining momentum that the incidents of deaths in the last 24 hours at Shankarrao Chavan Government Medical College and Hospital in Nanded are serious and should be thoroughly investigated. After this, the opposition attacked the government, Eknath Shinde, Fadnavis and Ajit Dada Pawar. Senior leader and National Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar criticized the Eknath Shinde government for these deaths and said that this incident highlights the failure of the government machinery. And demanded. Critical response to ensure the safety of patients in the future. Pawar officially took to social media and wrote on Twitter that “24 people, including 12 infants, died in a government hospital in Nandir in 24 hours. This incident is truly shocking.” Pawar said 18 people died at Kalwa Hospital of Thane Municipal Corporation. Sanjay Rawat also targeted the BJP government and said that the state of cleanliness in Maharashtra has always been high but the way all the government departments of Maharashtra have been working for the last one year, neither the Health Minister nor The health department is worried. Work. No doctor is working, no one is in control. Health department is the most neglected department in Maharashtra. Sanjay Rawat said that the oxygen incident took place in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh. More than 200 children died. The condition of the entire country is the same but the condition of Maharashtra is different. Medical service here has always been good. For the last one year, all the government employees of Maharashtra have been working like this. Neither the health department is working, nor the government doctors, even the Health Minister is not concerned. Nobody has control. Former chief minister and senior Congress leader from Nanded Ashok Chavan said that apart from these deaths, the condition of 70 more patients referred from other private hospitals in the district is said to be critical. “I spoke to the dean of the hospital, who said there was a shortage of nursing and medical staff,” Chavan said. Some equipment is not working and some departments are not working due to various reasons. This is a very serious problem. Shiv Sena (UBT) deputy leader Sushma Andhra alleged negligence and cited the similar death of 18 patients at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Government Hospital in Thane in mid-August. Andre said, “It is clear that Health Minister Sawant is ineffective and the CM should either accept his resignation or dismiss him. Criticizing the government, Nationalist Congress Party MP Supriya Sole strongly condemned the widespread deaths and said this triple engine government is responsible for the deaths of all 24 innocent people. NCP spokesperson Vikas Lavande said the deaths occurred due to government negligence and lack of medical supplies. It is unfortunate for the government to promote festivals and events. Hospital Dean S. Vakude says that 6 boys and 7 girls died due to various reasons. While another 12 adults have died, most of them due to snake bites. He claimed that many patients had come from far away places. The hospital faced problems due to budget constraints and lack of timely procurement of appropriate medicines for them, among other problems. Priyanka Chaturvedi of Shiv Sena (UBT) said, “This is shameful, please don’t let them die.” Rather, it is murder due to the gross negligence of an unconstitutional state government. They are so busy planning impressive events or foreign trips that they forget their primary function of serving the state.
Maharashtra
Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Shiv Sena (UBT) May Contest 8 Of 10 Seats In Mumbai Metropolitan Region

Mumbai: The Uddhav Thackeray-led faction of Shiv Sena is keen to contest 8 out of the 10 Lok Sabha constituencies in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region with some ‘give and take’ in the next elections, sources said on Tuesday.
Thackeray has been holding consultations with the party workers and leaders for the last few days. On Tuesday, he met with office-bearers from the Mumbai North East and the Mumbai North Lok Sabha constituencies.
The Shiv Sena (undivided) had won three of the total six LS constituencies in Mumbai in 2019 when it contested in alliance with BJP.
Besides Mumbai South, Mumbai South Central, and Mumbai Northwest seats, the Shiv Sena had also won Kalyan, Thane, and Palghar seats in the last elections.
However, MPs from Mumbai South Central, Mumbai North West, Palghar, and Kalyan have switched their loyalties to the Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) has now staked claims to Kalyan, represented by CM Shinde’s son Shrikant Shinde, Thane, Palghar, and Bhiwandi seats in the MMR region along with the Mumbai North East.
“Ready to leave 2 seats for Congress and NCP”
“We have a candidate in the former Mumbai North East MP Sanjay Dina Patil who has joined Shiv Sena (UBT) and we are keen to contest from this seat. We are ready to leave Mumbai North Central and Mumbai North seats for the Congress and the NCP,” Shiv Sena (UBT) sources said.
The Congress had contested the Bhiwandi seat in the previous elections but we are keen to fight this time, they said.
BJP’s Poonam Mahajan had defeated Priya Dutt of Congress from Mumbai North Central. The Mumbai North seat is a BJP fortress. In 2019, sitting MP Gopal Shetty won with a huge margin by defeating actor-turned-politician Urmila Matondkar, who contested on Congress ticket.
BJP’s Kapil Patil had defeated Congress’ Suresh Taware in Bhiwandi while the Palghar seat was won by Shiv Sena (undivided).
“We will discuss our stand with Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies during deliberations,” sources said.
Maharashtra
Mumbai: 2 More Corporators Join Shinde Faction Of Shiv Sena; Tally Reaches 35

Two more former corporators from Chandivali, Leena Shukla and Harish Shukla, joined Shiv Sena in presence of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Tuesday taking the total number of corporators in Mumbai who have joined the party to 35. Congress block Women’s wing president Maya Khot, vice president Jaya Nadar and several other party workers too joined the Shiv Sena also with the two former corporators.
Impressed with working style of CM Shinde
While giving the credit for the development in Mumbai to CM Shinde, Leena Shukla said that impressed with the working style of CM Shinde, she and her fellow workers decided to join Shiv Sena. She also vouched to work for Shiv Sena in order to see that CM Shinde continues to be in the seat.
While welcoming the former corporators, CM Shinde said that the change in the pace of Mumbai’s infrastructure development after the MahaYuti government came to power is noticeable and people have given the mandate for them.
Most projects stalled due to personal ego during MVA rule
“During the MVA rule all the work had almost come to a standstill. COVID was a reason for the initial few months, but even after that the development didn’t get the impetus it needed. Most of the projects were stalled due to personal ego. Actually it is the duty of every Chief Minister to keep away their personal likes and dislikes and take decisions in the favour of the state’s best interests. But, it wasn’t so during the MVA rule,” CM Shinde said while criticizing Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray without naming him.
“Mumbai is a city of international repute and its residents are entitled to get amenities of that stature,” CM Shinde said, adding that the new dispensaries started by his government are serving the poor. He also said that he also ensured that the BMC workers get good conditions so that they will work for the betterment of the city with all their heart.
CM also said that his party is gaining power day by day and added that he now has 35 corporators who were elected in 2017 with him. Shinde also criticized Shiv Sena (UBT) for rampant corruption in running the city as well as handling COVID situation and added that he never betrays those who trust him with pure heart.
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