Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Vinod Tawde said that his party will take to the streets to protest against the state government’s “unjust policies”. The former state education minister made the comment while addressing a press conference in Navi Mumbai on Saturday, after day one of the party’s two-day state executive conclave.
Tawde said the BJP is now planning to focus on its new role as the Opposition in the state and will launch a series of agitations to “expose” the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, led by chief minister Uddhav Thackeray.
The conclave’s first day witnessed several party leaders, including office-bearers, Members of Parliament (MP) and Legislative Assembly from Maharashtra, at Terna College auditorium, to discuss several issues which will be taken up during the second day of the conclave. On Sunday, around 10,000 party workers are expected to attend the conclave at Raheja Universal ground – which the party has christened as Ram Kapse Bhoomi, after its late MP – in Nerul, where they will be addressed by BJP national president JP Nadda, state chief Chandrakant Patil and former Maharashtra chief minister (CM) Devendra Fadnavis.
“In a democracy, you need to play the role assigned to you by the people. At the state-level meeting tomorrow, we will work out the details on how we shall play the role of an effective Opposition party. We will plan on how to oppose the Shiv Sena, NCP [Nationalist Congress Party] and the Congress [ruling partners in the state government] through agitations,” Tawde, who was flanked by BJP leaders Madhur Bhandari and Keshav Upadhyay, legislators Ganesh Naik and Manda Mhatre and Navi Mumbai BJP president Ramchandra Gharat, said.
{{/usCountry}}“In a democracy, you need to play the role assigned to you by the people. At the state-level meeting tomorrow, we will work out the details on how we shall play the role of an effective Opposition party. We will plan on how to oppose the Shiv Sena, NCP [Nationalist Congress Party] and the Congress [ruling partners in the state government] through agitations,” Tawde, who was flanked by BJP leaders Madhur Bhandari and Keshav Upadhyay, legislators Ganesh Naik and Manda Mhatre and Navi Mumbai BJP president Ramchandra Gharat, said.
{{/usCountry}}“We will take to the streets to agitate against the injustice to farmers, women, slum dwellers and denial of freedom to speak and other such issues which are in the interest and welfare of the people,” the former education minister said.
The party leader also took on former ally Shiv Sena for “betraying the mandate for CM’s chair”. “The party [Sena] got an increased number of seats because of its alliance with the BJP. However, after the elections people have seen how it [Sena] has betrayed the mandate of the people for the sake of the CM’s chair. They broke alliance with us and resorted to an unholy alliance with the Congress and NCP.”
Stating that the BJP will comfortably win the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) polls due April, Tawde dismissed reports of party’s corporators switching allegiance.
“Only a couple of them who are not sure about getting a party ticket are thinking of leaving. There is no mass exodus,” he clarified, adding, “We are confident that the BJP will single-handedly win the NMMC elections.”
‘No alliance with MNS for now’
Dismissing the possibility of an alliance with the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), which has recently adopted the Hindutva politics, Tawde said, “Every party re-invents itself based on the circumstances. MNS is doing the same. However, as of now, I do not think that the BJP will ally with the MNS.”
‘Supriya Sule indulging in double speak’
Commenting on NCP MP Supriya Sule objecting to a lecture by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in Pune University, Tawde said, “On the one hand she [Sule] states that we should listen to what is being said at JNU [Jawaharlal University] and Jamia Millia Islamia. However, when it comes to the RSS speaking [at the university], she does not believe in the freedom of expression. Supriya Sule should not indulge in such double speak.”
‘CM’s sanction on Bhima-Koregaon case to NIA as per law’
“The CM has to take the decision [on transfer of Bhima-Koregaon case] as per the law and Uddhav Thackeray has taken the decision accordingly. The government needs to run the state as per law and not according to the political agenda of some people,” Tawde said when questioned on the National Investigating Agency (NIA) taking over the case from the state police. “Sharad Pawar and Anil Dehmukh may think in emotional terms or have politically-motivated desires to free the Urban Naxals. The law will not permit it, and to ensure that there is no future problem in the courts, Thackeray has taken a decision that will save the state from humiliation,” he added