Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and other leaders at the tea party on Sunday. (Express photo by Ganesh Shirsekar) Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and other leaders at the tea party on Sunday. (Express photo by Ganesh Shirsekar) The Opposition parties boycotted the customary tea party hosted by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday, the eve of the Winter Session of the state legislature. Meanwhile, at a joint press conference, Congress’s opposition leader in Assembly, Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, and NCP’s opposition leader in council, Dhananjay Munde, indicated that they would target the government on several issues, including drought, farmer suicides, Jalyukt Shivar, Maratha and Dhangar reservations, irregularities in construction work of the proposed Shivaji Memorial in the sea and killing of tigress Avni. Vikhe-Patil slammed the state government saying the government had declared drought in various parts of the state without any initiatives to tackle it. “The government must give crop compensation of Rs 50,000 per hectare to farmers and Rs 1 lakh to those having orchards. Besides, the government must also waive crop loans taken by farmers for the kharif season,” he said. Vikhe-Patil was accompanied by Munde, NCP state president and legislator Jayant Patil and other leaders. “The government is not serious about the Maratha, Dhangar and Muslim reservations. It is not clear how the government, without touching the quota of other communities, will give reservation to the Maratha community in the next 12 days. The government must table the report of Maratha community of the Backward Class Commission on the floors of the legislature,” he added. Munde said if the government did not announce compensation to farmers on the first day of the session, they would not allow the house to function. “The current drought is severe than the one that the state had faced in 1972. Many parts of the state are facing severe shortage of water and fodder for animals. Despite their demands, water tankers are not being provided to people. It is an insult,” said Munde, adding that while Maharashtra is facing a severe drought, the Shiv Sena is ignoring the issue and going to Ayodhya. Munde also added that the opposition parties had sought an appointment with the Maharashtra governor to seek an eight-day extension of the Assembly. “Our request of extending session by eight days was rejected by the government. Now, we will seek intervention of the Governor on the issue,” he said. For all the latest Mumbai News, download Indian Express App

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