Oppn Calls CM, Uddhav `Thugs of Maharashtra'; CM Says Don't Be Like `Gangs of Wasseypur'

Mumbai, Nov 18 (PTI) The Congress on Sunday termed Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray as "Thugs of Maharashtra", while Fadnavis advised the opposition not to behave like "Gangs of Wasseypur".

The ruling party and opposition indulged in sparring on the eve of state legislature's winter session.

"Fadnavis and Thackeray are behaving like Thugs of Maharashtra," Leader of Opposition in Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil said at a joint press conference of Congress and NCP.

Like the recently released film "Thugs of Hindostan", which has not fared well at box office, the BJP and Sena will flop in coming elections, the Congress leader said.

"Whether it is farm loan waiver or reservations, this government is involved in thuggery in everything. People will defeat these thugs," said Vikhe-Patil.

The opposition also boycotted customary pre-session tea party organised by the government.

"The state is facing a drought worse than that of 1972. We demand that Rs 50,000 per hectare compensation be given to farmers and Rs one lakh per hectare be paid to those who have orchards or grow sugarcane," he said. He also demanded waiver of crop loan.

NCP's Dhananjay Munde, Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council, said the government should announce Maratha and Dhangar reservations on the first day of session.

"We will not let the house function unless the government announces relief measures for farmers and reservation for the two communities," he said.

Slamming the Sena for remembering Lord Ram ahead of polls, Vikhe-Patil said the party could not build memorial for its founder Bal Thackeray in Mumbai in last four years but now it is raking up the Ram temple issue.

"This is called thuggery," he said, adding that instead of travelling and taking stock of drought situation in the state, Thackeray is running away to Ayodhya (where the Sena has planned a rally).

"Ram is remembered only when `vanvas' (political wilderness) is in store," quipped Munde.

Chief minister Fadnavis also resorted to Bollywood lexicon to counter opposition's onslaught.

Opposition should be mature and "should not act like the Gangs of Wasseypur," he said, referring to the acclaimed gangster film directed by Anurag Kashyap.

"We are ready to discus every issue and allegation. However allegations must be backed by facts," Fadnavis said at a press conference at state guest house Sahyadri.

The state has already asked for Rs 7,500 crore from the Centre to tackle the drought, he said.

On loan waiver, he claimed that over 50 lakh farmers have benefited by it.

The state government will be presenting 13 new bills in the legislature in the winter session.

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