Governor unhappy with Dadar event? MVA leaders ask what was wrong

Senior leaders from the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) on Friday defended the arrangements made for the swearing-in of chief minister Uddhav Thackeray at Shivaji

Senior leaders from the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) on Friday defended the arrangements made for the swearing-in of chief minister Uddhav Thackeray at Shivaji Park in Dadar, amid reports that Governor BS Koshyari was unhappy with it.

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The MVA faced criticism in the media and on social media over inadequate security arrangements, and that everybody was able to approach the podium where the Governor, CM and six other ministers were seated, along with other senior political leaders. The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) also criticised the Sena’s unauthorised political banners across Dadar. However, Raj Bhavan officials said there was no official intimation that the governor was upset about the arrangements.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) spokesperson Nawab Malik on Friday said, “If reports are true that the Governor was unhappy about the arrangements, it is the state administration’s responsibility. The programme was organised by the Maharashtra general administration department. The parties were only supposed to give names of dignitaries.”

In response, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut lashed out, “Who is anyone? Who are these wrong people? Everything concluded well.” Malik said, “The party workers were excited and wanted to reach out to the leaders and connect with them. It was the responsibility of the administration to make sure they do not reach the stage.”

Malik also blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for starting the tradition of invoking leaders before taking oath in the Lok Sabha. He said, “This is not the first time it has happened. The BJP did it in Parliament after which everyone started doing it. We all need to decide on a protocol and strictly follow it. That is every party’s responsibility.”

Two Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena leaders who took oath on Thursday invoked their respective party chiefs Sonia Gandhi, Sharad Pawar and Bal Thackeray before taking oath.

MNS’s Sandeep Deshpande took to social media and criticised the municipal corporation’s G-North ward officer from the area for allowing the Shiv Sena to put up unauthorised political banners in Dadar.

Deshpande told Hindustan Times, “How can the civic body allow unauthorised posters and banners at Shivaji Park now? I will continue exposing the authorities on social media, until the ward acts against the banners.”

Deshpande was involved a controversy earlier this month after he got into an argument with a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) ward officer in-charge of Shivaji Park area, Kiran Dighavkar, for pulling down the Diwali decorations put up by the MNS from the precinct.