Sena slams PM’s Make in India ‘achievements’

mumbai — While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Maharashtra is boasting about the success of the recent ‘Make in India’ week held here, its ally and partner in government, the Shiv Sena has ridiculed the ‘achievements.’

The state government claims it has signed more than 2,500 MoUs worth Rs8 trillion relating to investments across different regions in the state. But its key ally, the Shiv Sena pooh-poohed the government’s claims.

Interestingly, last week chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had congratulated Subhash Desai, the industries minister — and a senior Sena leader — for the success of the event and the MoUs that were signed. Desai was also in the limelight during the Make in India week. But his party leadership on Monday described the claims as ‘inflated’ - like balloons filled with air — and compared it to the agreements signed by the BJP with four smaller parties before the October 2014 state elections.

“The four smaller parties were offered ministerial berths and chairmanships of state corporations,” said an editorial in ‘Saamna,’ the Sena mouthpiece. “They were also told that the government would solve problems relating to farmers. But what happened to those MoUs with the smaller parties.” The Sena said the four parties felt cheated as none of the assurances were kept by the BJP. If the MoUs signed with global investors were to meet the same fate, the government would not even be able to recover the cost of the event, it quipped sarcastically. Though the Shiv Sena is one of the oldest allies of the BJP - and is also a partner both in the central and state governments - it has been critical of both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Fadnavis.

The BJP, which won more seats than even the Sena has not been kowtowing to its junior ally, especially since the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has offered it unconditional support. A frustrated Sena - which has been deprived of lucrative cabinet berths — has been carping at the BJP over the past few months, threatening to quit the alliance, both at the centre and in the state.