
50 calls from Fadnavis, no reply: Eknath Shinde rips into Uddhav for ditching BJP
"Maharashtra has never seen a chameleon changing colours so fast. He went with those whom he once considered lowly," Shinde said in an apparent reference to Thackeray joining hands with the Congress after severing the alliance with the BJP.It was because of his (Shinde's) request that Fadnavis had agreed to cede the post of Mumbai's mayor to the Shiv Sena in 2017 after the Sena won 84 seats and the BJP 82 in the civic polls, Shinde said."But he (Thackeray) betrayed Fadnavis in 2019 (by walking out of the alliance)," Shinde added.Shinde also claimed that while he and rebel Sena MLAs supporting him were camping in Guwahati in 2022 after rebelling against Thackeray, the latter approached him for reconciliation, and at the same time told the BJP leadership in Delhi not to support the rebel group.Shinde said the Thackeray government had announced starting a music school in the name of Lata Mageshkar after the singing legend's death.But when the Mangeshkar family awarded the first Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Award to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Thackeray got so upset that he decided against starting the music school, Shinde claimed.When he became chief minister in 2022, he started the music school, Shinde added.Notably, Shinde's reminder of Thackeray 'betraying' Fadnavis and the BJP in 2019 came a day after the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief met the Maharashtra Chief Minister.A day earlier, Fadnavis, in a tongue-in-cheek remark in the House, had asked Thackeray to come over to the ruling side.- EndsMust Watch

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


NDTV
36 minutes ago
- NDTV
Maharashtra Government To Cancel Fake Birth Certificates Of Bangladeshi Migrants
Mumbai: The Maharashtra government will cancel the fake birth certificates issued to Bangladeshi nationals living illegally in the state by August 15, Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said on Wednesday. As many as 42,000 such cases have been found but the actual number is greater, and it will be ascertained by the officials, he told reporters here. "By August 15, fake birth certificates given to Bangladeshis will be cancelled," the BJP leader said, adding that the copies of such certificates will have to be sent to the Department of Revenue and the Department of Health. Earlier, BJP leader and former MP Kirit Somaiya had alleged that 3,997 birth certificates had been issued to Bangladeshis on the basis of forged documents, leading to the state government suspending two officials previously posted in Malegaon in Nashik district. On Tuesday, Bawankule held a meeting with the state chief secretary, which was attended by district collectors via video conference. Somaiya too attended the meeting, sources said. Minister of State for Home Yogesh Kadam had stated in March that in the last four years, the government has been cracking down on illegal Bangladeshi residents as never before. In 2021, 109 Bangladeshis residing illegally in the state were deported, followed by 77 in 2022 and 127 in 2023. In 2024, as many as 716 illegal Bangladeshi residents were arrested and 202 deported, he stated.


Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
KMC suspends 3 officials in Rs85L drainage scam claim
Kolhapur: Civic administrator K Manjulekshmi has suspended three Kolhapur Municipal Corporation (KMC) officials following allegations of their involvement in an Rs85 lakh scam related to drainage pipe laying work in the Badbade Mala area of Kasba Bawda. The suspensions come after former KMC corporator and Shiv Sena district coordinator Satyajit alias Nana Kadam on July 21 alleged that officials and a contractor colluded to submit fraudulent bills for uncompleted development work. Manjulekshmi has also formed a committee, comprising additional commissioner Shilpa Darekar and city engineer Ramesh Maskar, to investigate the matter thoroughly and submit a report within 48 hours. According to Kadam, the tender for laying drainage pipes was finalized in 2021 for an estimated cost of Rs2.4 crore. "A private contractor from the Kasba Bawda area was awarded the contract with an 18-month deadline. While the contractor submitted bills in five stages and received payment for four, a "fake Measurement Book (MB)" was prepared for the fifth bill without the completion of the remaining work. This allegedly led to the KMC disbursing approximately Rs85 lakh to the contractor based on these fraudulent documents," Kadam said. Replying to these allegations, the contractor concerned on July 26, via email, wrote to the chief minister, KMC administrator, district superintendent of police and the anti-corruption department, claiming that the bill has been taken as advance for the work done on the drainage pipeline. He also shared screenshots of the payments given to several KMC officials. After this, the KMC registered a case against the contractor, whereas an immediate inquiry was imposed against the civic officials concerned. The KMC, in a press release, said junior engineer, public works department assistant superintendent and senior clerk have been suspended. Manjulekshmi said, "The contractor has admitted in writing that he forged signatures. Therefore, Rs 85 lakh will be recovered from him. Also, criminal proceedings have been ordered in this case. The investigation of the officials, employees, bill approvers and others involved in this serious matter of fake bill approval and the entire process is ongoing."


The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
Contract for biomining of legacy waste at Brahmapuram extended till September
Amid allegations of corruption and protests by the Opposition Congress and BJP councillors, the Kochi Corporation extended the contract with Bhumi Green Energy, the company engaged for biomining of legacy waste at Brahmapuram, till September 30. Responding to protests by the Opposition, Mayor M. Anilkumar said that it was improper to create a dispute over an issue of common interest to the city, and that the procedures were transparent. The company has requested contract extension citing financial constraints and difficulty in completing biomining within the existing time frame. The United Democratic Front (UDF) alleged corruption when the issue was considered. The UDF councillors alleged that the volume of waste at Brahmapuram was exaggerated and also cited audit objections and the failure to complete biomining within the agreed time while demanding not to extend the contract. The Mayor said that 90% of biomining had been completed. The Corporation has made a commendable achievement at Brahmapuram, which is fast emerging as a model for the rest of the country. The UDF was against biomining at Brahmapuram, which was driven by politics, said Mr. Anilkumar. UDF and BJP councillors had seen the work of Bhumi Green Energy and were convinced. There is no corruption in biomining. The High Court, Ministry of Housing, and the National Environment Research Institute have commended the operations at Brahmapuram. Audit objections have been given proper responses, the Mayor said. The bill is not based on refuse-derived fuel (RDF) but the volume of waste handled. Mr. Anilkumar said that anyone could examine them, and that the extension of the contract was a legal obligation. According to the survey conducted by the Kozhikode-based National Institute of Technology, there were over 8.43 lakh tonnes of legacy waste at Brahmapuram. In the initial survey, it was 7 lakh tonnes. Over 7.32 lakh metric tonnes of legacy waste have been treated till June 12. Incidentally, the company, in last June, had claimed that biomining of 50% of legacy waste at the Brahmapuram solid waste treatment plant had been completed, and that the entire project would be completed by April 2025. The Pune-based Bhumi Green Energy started biomining of legacy waste on January 15, 2024. Non-recyclable waste segregated through biomining is being diverted for cement production. Such waste is being shifted as RDF, which is used by cement factories. Biomining followed a devastating fire on plastic heaps at Brahmapuram in 2023 that lasted almost a fortnight.