Shiv Sena boycotts Cabinet meeting

Politics over the ongoing farmers’ agitation in Maharashtra intensified on Wednesday with Shiv Sena ministers skipping the state Cabinet meeting.

Although BJP ministers claimed that Thackeray’s men took prior permission to skip the meeting, Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut confirmed that the party boycotted it.

Raut said, “As farmers are protesting in the state, we believe there should be a discussion on loan waiver in the Cabinet because any decision on loan waiver has to be taken by the Cabinet, of which Shiv Sena is also a part.”

“Attempts are being made to politicise this issue and take credit for it. You take the credit, we do not want any of it, but announce a loan waiver,” he said.

Raut said it was the Sena that had been for the last 15 years demanding a complete loan-waiver for farmers and clear their 7/12 land extracts and the BJP has never been in the picture. The 7/12 land extracts are proof of agriculture land title ownership and they also mention cultivation details.

Making light of Sena ministers’ absence, Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar (BJP) said, “The Sena ministers did not boycott the meet, but sought permission not to attend it, which the chief minister granted.”

Revenue Minister Chandrakant Patil, also from the BJP said, “It’s not correct to say Sena ministers came to the meet and left in a huff. They came and told the Chief Minister that since Uddhav Thackeray was not in Mumbai, they wouldn’t attend the meeting till they have a word with him.”

Transport minister Diwakar Raote (Shiv Sena) said his party ministers did not attend the meet. Sena ministers held a meeting at the official residence of Subhash Desai, industries minister, ahead of the meeting.