E-Paper
'Does MEA know?' Aaditya Thackeray says Shinde taking 70 people to 'Davos junket'
Milind Deora's name was speculated as part of Shinde's Davos delegation, but Deora before quitting Congress said his visit might be in his personal capacity.
Former Maharashtra minister and Worli MLA Aaditya Thackeray levelled a massive charge against chief minister Eknath Shinde that he is taking over 50 people along with him to Davos World Economic Forum without the clearance of the ministry of the external affairs. The national delegation is not this big and even if some of this huge group pay for their own travel, they will use the cars, hotels and food paid by the taxpayers, Aaditya Thackeray said. "Is the @FinMinIndia and @MEAIndia aware of this junket and has political clearance been given to this 70+ group? All 50 should typically need political clearance as they represent formal agencies of the Govt of Maharashtra, therefore Govt of India," the Uddhav Sena leader posted on X.
The World Economic Forum at Davos in Switzerland is scheduled from January 15 to 19. Earlier, it was said that Eknath Shinde, industrialist minister Uday Samant and a 10-member delegation would be attending the WEF in Davos.
Then what is the 70-people delegation that Aaditya alleged? Uddhav's son said spouses and kids are also being taken as if this is a holiday. "While it is understood that only about 10 have sought the MEA’s necessary political clearance as a delegation, the rest are being taken along for this Swiss trip, without even applying for the MEA’s clearance apparently," Aaditya wrote.
"This holiday for the 75 people includes the likes of a current MP, a former MP (both whose roles in Davos summit are not specified), some publicists from private agencies, a whole battery of PAs to CM and DCM, OSDs of the CM, PSs (shown on various govt agency names), brokers and dealers, and then 4 from MMRDA, 8 from MAHAPREIT!! The list of the staff of the cm including PA, PS and @CMOMaharashtra is 20! Unless it’s for picking up someone’s bags, or sight seeing, or some physical work, what will 50 people do at Davos where they will only sign MoUs?" Aaditya added. MahaPreit is Mahatma Phule Renewable Energy and Infrastructure Technology Limited, MMRDA is Mumbai Metropolitan Religion Development Authority.
Is Milind Deora in Eknath Shinde's Davos delegation?
Amid the major upheaval in Maharashtra politics resulting from Milind Deora's exit from the Congress, it was speculated that he was also part of the delegation. On Saturday, before he resigned from the party when he said he had not taken any decision and was consulting with the party workers, he reacted to the Davos speculations and said he might visit Davos in his personal capacity and not as part of Shinde's delegation.
NCP leader (Sharad Pawar faction) Rohit Pawar triggered the speculations as he said one politician who is not even in power will be attending the World Economic Forum. "Please do not ask me the name of the politician," Rohit Pawar said.
