Latest news with #Mahayuti
New Indian Express
2 hours ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Cabinet reshuffle on the cards: Maharashtra CM meets Amit Shah, other top BJP leaders in Delhi
MUMBAI: With a cabinet reshuffle on the cards, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday met Union Minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah. The meeting between the two top BJP leaders, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister Amit Shah was held in Delhi and lasted for more than 20 minutes. Fadnavis also met BJP's national president and Union Minister J.P. Nadda, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and senior leader Manohar Lal Khattar. While the details of the meeting were not officially disclosed, sources said that the discussion focused on removing ministers in the Mahayuti government whose performance over the past six months has been unsatisfactory. Additionally, ministers whose departments have been in the news for corruption may also be dropped. The leadership reportedly wants to send a strong message to ministers who frequently stir controversy. According to sources, eight ministers from the Mahayuti alliance are likely to be removed. These include, Shiv Sena minister Sanjay Shirsat, whose bedroom video featuring a bag full of cash went viral. Agriculture Minister and NCP MLA Manikrao Kokate, who was caught on video playing online Junglee Rummy during the monsoon session of the Maharashtra Assembly. He has also repeatedly courted controversy by calling his own government "beggars" Shiv Sena ministers Sanjay Rathod, Bharat Gogawale, and Yogesh Kadam, NCP Minister Narhari Zirwa and Water Resources Minister and BJP MLA Girish Mahajan There is also speculation that State Assembly Speaker Rahul Narvekar, who is reportedly interested in a ministerial role, may be inducted into the cabinet. In that case, BJP MLA Sudhir Mungantiwar may be appointed as the new Speaker. Responding to the speculation, Narvekar said he would wait for official confirmation and preferred not to comment on media reports. He added that he has performed satisfactorily as Speaker and is ready to take on a new role if the party decides. Sources stated, 'CM Fadnavis and his team have been evaluating the performance of Mahayuti ministers over the last six months, along with the report cards of each department based on the 100-day action plan. The Chief Minister is keen to send a strong message that he will not tolerate inefficiency or misconduct. He expects seriousness and discipline from his ministers. Currently, the behavior of some ministers is tarnishing the image of the government and creating the impression that Mr. Fadnavis lacks control over his cabinet. A stern message is necessary ahead of the local body elections,' said a senior BJP leader, requesting anonymity. Meanwhile, regarding reports of NCP Minister Manikrao Kokate's resignation, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said that he would speak with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and a decision would be taken accordingly.
News18
13 hours ago
- Business
- News18
Congress Alleges Multi-Crore BMC Water Project Scam, Demands High-Level Probe
Last Updated: While Congress calls it a 'broker-driven scam' that benefits select contractors at the cost of Mumbai's taxpayers, the BMC has not yet responded to the allegations. The Mumbai Congress has levelled explosive allegations of large-scale corruption in the tender process for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) ambitious water purification projects, demanding an immediate high-level probe into what it calls a 'broker-driven scam" that benefits select contractors at the cost of Mumbai's taxpayers. The BMC has not yet responded to the allegations. Addressing a press conference at the Mumbai Congress office on Wednesday, Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant, along with city unit chief spokesperson Sureshchandra Rajhans, former corporator Mohsin Haider and spokesperson Nizamuddin Rayeen, claimed that influential brokers and vested interests are manipulating multi-crore tenders under the Mahayuti government's watch. At the centre of the controversy are the massive Bhandup Complex (2000 MLD capacity) and Panjapur (910 MLD) water purification projects. Sawant alleged that the tender process for these projects has been repeatedly altered to favour a specific contractor, blocking global competition and violating Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) and Competition Commission guidelines. Citing detailed timelines, Sawant said that the Rs 4,376 crore Bhandup project tender was first floated on October 10, 2023, with a pre-bid meeting on October 26. The tender was then extended six times before an addendum introduced a critical change — restricting eligible experience to companies with prior projects in India only. 'This was done to keep out global players and ensure only a pre-decided firm could qualify," Sawant alleged. According to Sawant, this manipulation inflated the final approved bid by nearly 30 per cent over the original estimate, causing huge losses to the municipal exchequer. Similarly, the Panjapur project tender, floated on September 24, 2024, was postponed eight times and eventually cancelled in March 2025 citing 'no response." A fresh tender was issued in April with stricter eligibility clauses again demanding only India-based experience. Sawant pointed out that this pattern raises grave doubts of a rigged process, benefiting the same contractor and technology supplier 'Veolia" repeatedly. Calling BMC offices and the Mantralaya 'dens of brokers," the Congress leaders alleged a deep nexus between contractors, officials, technology suppliers and middlemen, operating with impunity under political protection. Sawant confirmed that on July 16, the party had formally written to relevant authorities demanding a detailed investigation. He warned that unless probed immediately, Mumbai's taxpayers would continue to suffer while a corrupt contractor-broker-official nexus thrives unchecked under the Mahayuti regime. view comments First Published: July 25, 2025, 10:59 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
India Today
a day ago
- Politics
- India Today
Ajit Pawar hints at action against NCP minister over rummy video row
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Tuesday indicated that action may soon be taken against Agriculture Minister Manikrao Kokate, following a series of controversies that have embarrassed the Devendra Fadnavis-led Mahayuti government. Pawar confirmed that the legislature will probe the allegations against Kokate, including a recent viral video and that he has personally summoned the minister for a meeting next legislature is set to investigate the matter of the Agriculture Minister playing rummy. I have personally called Manikrao Kokate to meet me on Monday to hear his side of the story. After that, I will discuss with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to decide on the appropriate course of action,' Pawar a five-term MLA from Sinnar in Nashik district and a member of Ajit Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) faction, has been at the center of multiple controversies over the past VIDEO CONTROVERSY The most recent storm erupted after NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) MLA Rohit Pawar released a video purportedly showing Kokate playing an online rummy game on his phone during a legislative session. The video sparked widespread outrage, especially as it came at a time when Maharashtra is grappling with severe agrarian distress. Opposition leaders lambasted Kokate for his alleged insensitivity, pointing out that the state witnesses an average of eight farmer suicides daily."BEGGAR" REMARKAdding to the fire, Kokate recently made headlines for controversial remarks likening farmers to beggars while defending the now-defunct Re 1 Crop Insurance Scheme. 'Even a beggar does not take Re 1 in alms, but here we are giving crop insurance for Re 1. Even then, some people try to misuse it,' Kokate had said, drawing flak from both the opposition and civil society ALLEGATIONS IN CROP INSURANCE SCHEMEIn January 2025, Kokate admitted to 3-4% corruption in government schemes, specifically referencing the Re 1 Crop Insurance Scheme, where over 4,00,000 bogus applications were uncovered. This admission led to accusations from opposition leaders like Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Sushma Andhare, who claimed it exposed systemic corruption within the Mahayuti government. Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar also demanded action against the 'masterminds' behind the IN FRAUD CASEIn February 2025, Kokate and his brother were convicted in a 30-year-old housing fraud case in Nashik, where they were accused of tampering with documents to secure a house under the Chief Minister's discretionary quota. Although the conviction was stayed by a sessions court, the incident further damaged Kokate's reputation and raised questions about his continuation as a incidents have placed significant pressure on the Mahayuti government, which came to power with a landslide victory in the November 2024 Assembly Pawar has acknowledged Kokate's history of controversies, noting that he had previously warned the minister to be cautious. The legislative council chairman, Ram Shinde, has ordered a probe into the rummy video incident, and Kokate has demanded an investigation into what he claims is a 'conspiracy' against him. Meanwhile, opposition leaders like Supriya Sule and Sanjay Raut have intensified their calls for Kokate's resignation.- EndsMust Watch
New Indian Express
a day ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Language, longing and belonging in Maharashtra
The Maharashtra government's proposal to introduce Hindi as one of the three languages to be taught under the three-language formula had nothing against Marathi. In no way would it have damaged the future of Marathi. It could be that the Thackeray brothers conveniently used it to mobilise public opinion. But on the ground, three things are clear. First, exploiting the issue of Marathi versus Hindi will certainly not help the cause of Marathi. Second, it may not help the Thackeray cousins revive their electoral prospects. And third, it may not seriously dent the support base of the Mahayuti government. No doubt, in Maharashtra the prominence of the Marathi language cannot and should not be undermined at any cost. The three-language formula has been there for decades and many of my generation in the state learnt Hindi from the fifth standard. However, in the context of the recently-manufactured controversy, Marathi lovers would do well to be mindful of certain key factors. The first and foremost is that the prestige of any language depends on whether its native speakers take pride in speaking it in public. Today, in Mumbai, many Marathi-speaking people routinely use either Hindi or English even while conversing with their Marathi-speaking friends. One of the many reasons for this strange behaviour is that somewhere deep in their minds, there is a feeling that speaking in Hindi or English adds to their dignity, as against their own mother-tongue. The impact of this complex is so grave that most Marathi-medium schools in Mumbai are on the verge of extinction. Can one blame Hindi-speaking Maharashtrians for this? Again, unlike in Chennai or Kolkata, in Mumbai, outsiders feel more at home as they can do very well without any working knowledge of Marathi. The Marathi theatre is known for its vibrancy and has a rich tradition. And yet, Marathi plays or movies hardly find a place in non-Marathi newspapers because most English and Hindi newspapers in Mumbai don't feel the need to have Marathi-speaking mediapersons among their staff. Unless the Marathi language and culture makes a powerful entry into the ethos of the non-Marathi people, Marathi cannot grow.
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
At heart of a new twist in the Maharashtra 2022 power swing, who is Praful Lodha?
The toppling of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in June 2022 after the Shiv Sena split is back in the news. And this time, at the heart of it is a 62-year-old controversial figure who has long operated on the fringes of politics in the state. MVA leaders have alleged that the reason many Sena MLAs left with Eknath Shinde at the time was that they were 'honeytrapped', and that the 'mastermind' was Praful Lodha. Since Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut made the allegation earlier this month, Lodha has been taken into custody by police twice, and booked for cases in Mumbai as well as Pune. This spotlight is unusual for Lodha, a low-profile political figure from Pahur village in Jalgaon district, who has occasionally surfaced in photographs with political leaders, and has mostly been associated with the BJP, barring stints in the NCP and Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA). On July 7, Lodha was arrested by the Sakinaka police on accusations by a minor of assault at his bungalow after promising her a job, and of using photos to threaten her. While he was behind bars, the MIDC police on July 17 took his custody in another case, registered against him by a 19-year-old woman, of alleged sexual assault on the pretext of a job offer. Lodha faces two separate POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) cases, and charges of rape, blackmail, illegal confinement, and using obscene content to threaten victims. Now, Pune Police too have registered an FIR against him under similar sections of rape. The Mumbai Police seized laptops, pen drives and other digital equipment during raids at Lodha's properties in Jalgaon, Jamner and Pahur. Initially, the issue was raised in the Maharashtra Assembly by Congress MLA and former party state chief Nana Patole, who demanded that the Mahayuti government explain whether there had been a honeytrap operation 'involving IAS officers and sitting ministers', calling it a threat to the state's security. Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, who was Maharashtra BJP chief earlier, later said the Home Department and police were looking into the matter. Sena (UBT) leader Raut then claimed that more than a dozen MLAs of the Shiv Sena and four of its MPs were 'trapped' through videos and blackmailed by Lodha before the party split. 'It wasn't ED or CBI pressure,' he said, adding that Lodha has 'close ties with top BJP leaders'. Alleged to have been close to BJP Jamner MLA Girish Mahajan at one time, Lodha left the party in 2019 accusing him of 'wrongdoing'. Mahajan ran an initiative called Arogya Doot (Health Messenger), to help patients from the Jalgaon region receive treatment in Mumbai, and Lodha was said to be actively involved in it. Having joined the NCP soon after leaving the BJP, Lodha stayed with the Sharad Pawar faction after Ajit Pawar split and joined the Mahayuti too, taking away a majority of the party MLAs. But, last year, Lodha left the NCP (SP), this time after an attack on its senior leader Eknath Khadse. Soon after, Lodha joined the VBA, which even offered him a ticket for last year's Lok Sabha elections. However, after accepting the same, Lodha withdrew his candidature within five days. Later, Lodha made a return to the BJP. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was present to welcome him back at an event in Jalgaon. Responding to claims of his proximity to Lodha, Mahajan said he was no longer in the BJP and had been photographed with leaders across parties over the years. That didn't mean Lodha was close to him, Mahajan said. 'The photo which is being circulated (of me with him) is around 10 years old. Then Lodha was in the BJP and was doing work for the party. But later things changed.' On the allegations against Lodha, Mahajan said: 'Whether the honeytrap claims or suspicions regarding the rise in his assets, they will be revealed during investigations.' At the same time, the BJP MLA questioned the honeytrap claims made by Patole and Raut. Khadse asked why the FIRs against Lodha had come soon after talk began in political circles of a honeytrap scandal. He added: 'If Lodha's past is questionable, then why did Mahajan induct him in the BJP? If Lodha was once Mahajan's adversary, what changed? Is it connected to the honeytrap? The truth will come out sooner or later.' Asked about the probe against Lodha, an officer of the MIDC police said: 'We have taken the custody of the accused and our investigation is on.'
