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Thackeray jolted, Legislature removes Sena LP leader, Chief Whip

Chaudhary said on Monday (July 4) that the Legislature Secretariat has no authority to strike down the appointments and they would challenge it in the court…reports Asian Lite News

In a major setback for the Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray, the Maharashtra Legislature Secretariat has struck down appointments of Ajay Chaudhary as the Shiv Sena Legislature Party Leader (SSLP) and the Chief Whip Sunil Prabhu.

The action came late on Sunday.

The legislature has accorded recognition to the Sena rebel leader — now Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, as the SSLP and the rebel group’s nominee Bharat Gogawale as the Chief Whip.

Following the rebellion in the Sena which erupted on June 20, the Sena had removed its then SSLP leader Shinde and replaced him with Ajay Chaudhary, besides naming Prabhu as the Chief Whip.

Terming the Shiv Sena moves as ‘illegal’, the rebel group camping in Guwahati hit back by appointing Gogawale as its Chief Whip and claimed Shinde continued to be the SSLP leader.

Chaudhary said on Monday (July 4) that the Legislature Secretariat has no authority to strike down the appointments and they would challenge it in the court.

Early in the day, Sena’s Prabhu and the Shinde Group’s Gogawale issued Whips on all Shiv Sena leaders pertaining to the confidence vote scheduled later in the day.

It maybe recalled that on Sunday also, both sides had issued Whips to all Sena MLAs, leading to strong objections and bitter counter-claims after the Speaker elections.

While the Sena claimed that 49 (rebel) MLAs flouted its Whip, the Shinde Group contended that 16 (Sena) MLAs had not obeyed its Whip for the Speaker polls.

Sena Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut Monday strongly slammed the State Legislature Secretariat move and said the party is prepared for a long-drawn legal battle against the decision.

Citing several precedents, Raut reiterated that the 56-year-old ‘party led by Thackeray is the only Shiv Sena’, and all the MLAs have won elections on its ticket and party symbol.

ALSO READ-Thackeray sacks Shinde as ‘Shiv Sena Leader’

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India News Politics

‘Opposition unity’ on menu at Thackeray’s Sunday lunch with KCR

Former Prime Minister H. D. Deve Gowda has also expressed support to KCR on his anti-communal agenda and the duo are slated to have a meeting shortly…reports Asian Lite News

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray invited his Telangana counterpart K. Chandrashekar Rao for lunch on Sunday with a power menu comprising national affairs and opposition unity, officials said.

Earlier on Wednesday, Thackeray called up KCR, as Rao is popularly known, and lauded his efforts to rally the country’s regional and Opposition parties and forge a united challenge to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party at the Centre.

Thackeray is understood to have conveyed to KCR the need to “save the country” from BJP’s divisive political agenda for which the Shiv Sena would extend full support.

KCR is expected to fly down from Hyderabad on Sunday morning and drop in at the CM’s official residence ‘Varsha’ at Malabar Hill for the ‘lunch pe charcha’, an official indicated.

However, ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi’s (MVA) other constituents – the Nationalist Congress Party and Congress – told IANS that “as of now, no meetings are scheduled between their leaders and KCR”.

Key states like Maharashtra, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu or even Delhi – where the BJP has lost elections since the 2019 Lok Sabha polls – are considered critical in its ambitions to ensure maximum leverage for the 2024 Lok Sabha or even the future Rajya Sabha polls.

Since the past few weeks, the Telangana CM has been zipping around the country, meeting top leaders of various national and regional Opposition parties to rally them for a united front against the BJP before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Among the leaders he has already met are Tejaswi Yadav, his Tamil Nadu counterpart M.K. Stalin, and is likely to meet Thackeray and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee – who incidentally had come to meet Thackeray and Nationalist Congress Party President Sharad Pawar in December.

Former Prime Minister H. D. Deve Gowda has also expressed support to KCR on his anti-communal agenda and the duo are slated to have a meeting shortly.

Most states ruled by Opposition or regional parties have been strongly protesting at the BJP’s continuing “destabilising” efforts or “toppling attempts”.

They have also been accusing the BJP of misusing power and government machinery by letting loose various Central investigating agencies against their top leaders and even family members to make them “bend” or “break”.

Among the parties that are considered the prime targets include Shiv Sena, the NCP, the Trinamool Congress, and certain other parties, too.

A MVA leader said that similar issues had come up during Banerjee’s confabulations with Thackeray and Sharad Pawar last December, and the upcoming discussions with KCR are likely to move these even further.

On Tuesday, Sena Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut launched a scathing attack on the state BJP functionaries, Enforcement Directorate and other central agencies, on how they have been harassing people on flimsy reasons to target the top leaders.

He also charged the Central agencies of going all out against the Opposition leaders, but not displaying the same vigour when BJP leaders are accused of graft charges despite providing evidence repeatedly.

A senior state Congress leader said while the Opposition unity plans are necessary to dare the BJP’s communal and disruptive politics, “no such exercise can be complete or practical without Congress” – a sentiment voiced even by Pawar several times in the past.

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-Top News UK News

UK envoy meets CM Thackeray, visits Ganesha idol workshop

In a meeting with Maharashtra CM, the High Commissioner discussed UK and Maharashtra’s relations in trade, healthcare and climate action with Uddhav Thackeray and other leaders.

UK High Commissioner to India Alex Ellis met Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and other leaders in Mumbai and paid a visit to a Ganesh idol workshop to learn about the significance of Ganesh Chaturthi.

He discussed the UK and Maharashtra’s relations in trade, healthcare and climate action with Uddhav Thackeray and other leaders.

Ellis said in a tweet, “Delighted to meet with @CMOMaharashtra Shri Uddhav Thackeray and @AUThackeray to discuss ways in which the UK and Maharashtra can further work on trade, healthcare, climate change, and other areas.”

During his visit to Mumbai from September 7-9, he also met Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray and NCP chief Sharad Pawar besides engaging with leading businesses with UK links such as Tatas, Mahindras, Piramals, and a few more.

Interestingly, Ellis had his first vada pav while in the city and was also greeted by famous Dabbawalas who gifted him a symbolic dabba.

Taking to Twitter, Ellis said, “Delighted to receive this beautiful tiffin box from Mumbai’s exceptional #Dabbawalas.”

He then took a quick ride on Victoria’s electric buggy to mark World EV Day.

Furthermore, Ellis had the most amazing experience visiting a Ganesh idol workshop to learn about the significance of Ganesh Chaturthi in the state.

Alex also lauded India’s landmark achievements in agricultural production.

He had a brief discussion with Pawar on issues such as COVID-19 mitigation, defence, international relations, Cricket and others.

‘High Commissioner for a Day’

To mark International Day of the Girl Child, observed on October 11, the British High Commission in Delhi has invited applications from Indian women in the 18-23 years age group for an opportunity to head the mission for a day.

To apply to be ‘High Commissioner for a Day’, applicants must record and upload a one-minute video on ‘how can young people best support tackling the global challenge of climate change?’ The video must be shared on either Twitter, Facebook or Instagram by tagging @UKinIndia and using the hashtags #DayoftheGirl. The deadline to apply is 22 September 2021.

“The impact of Covid-19 on education around the world will be long term, particularly for girls. This is why at the UK-hosted G7 Summit earlier this year, leaders from around the world agreed ambitious global targets to get more girls into school,” Alex Ellis said.

“Empowering and educating girls is also one of Prime Minister Modi’s central campaigns. I am delighted to note that this year nearly 60% of UK’s Chevening fellowships and 52% of the scholarships for India were awarded to women.”

“The International Day of the Girl Child is an important moment to recognise that educating all girls everywhere is not just the right thing to do, it is one of the smartest investments we can make to build a better, more equitable world. Through the ‘High Commissioner for a Day’ competition, I want to shine a light on brilliant young women and for them to show their even younger peers in school, that anything is possible,” he added.

The British High Commission has run the ‘High Commissioner for a Day’ competition annually since 2017. Last year’s competition was won by 18-year-old Chaitanya Venkateswaran, whose day as the High Commissioner included learning about gender representation in the media, interacting with senior police officers from Madhya Pradesh and Telangana, and launching the British Council STEM Tracer Study documenting the stories of Indian women scholars.

ALSO READ-UK, Switzerland ink deal to secure healthcare access

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-Top News India News

Thackeray flags off eco-friendly BEST buses in Mumbai

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday afternoon flagged off the new electric buses, taking the total BEST fleet of such e-buses to 270….reports Asian Lite News

In a major eco-friendly initiative, the entire fleet of the iconic red BEST fleet of public buses catering to South Mumbai has gone electric with the launch of 24 new e-buses on Saturday.

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday afternoon flagged off the new electric buses, taking the total BEST fleet of such e-buses to 270.

From next week, South Mumbai will be entirely served the e-buses and another 140 buses shall join the fleet by the month-end, said state Tourism Minister Aditya Thackeray.

The sleek, 12-metre-long e-buses under the FAME-II Project are airconditioned, noise-free and zero-pollution vehicles with a capacity of 35 passengers each, said Aditya Thackeray.

On the occasion, the Chief Minister announced that the government is planning to issue a BEST single-pass or ticket, which will be valid even on suburban trains and Metro rails for hassle-free commute for the citizens.

Besides the Chief Minister and Aditya Thackeray, Mayor Kishori Pednekar, Deputy Mayor Suhas Wadkar, BEST General Manager Lokesh Chandra, BEST Committee Chairan Ashish Chemburkar, Additional Municipal Commissioner P. Velarasu, along with legislators and municipal corporators were present on the occasion.

Chandra informed that under the new EV policy, the number of e-vehicles in the BEST fleet would increase by 15 per cent, and the BMC has set a target of inducting 1,800 (45 per cent of total fleet) e-buses by mid-2023.

The development came on the 74th foundation day celebrations of the BrihanMumbai Electric Supply & Transport (BEST), which came under the control of the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation on August 7, 1947.

Its forerunner, the Bombay Electric Supply & Tramways, was launched 148 years ago in 1873 and later it became Bombay Electric Supply & Transport and then the existing BEST, serving commuters of Mumbai and parts of Thane and Raigad.

ALSO READ: Maha BJP chief meets Raj Thackeray

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-Top News India News

Maha BJP chief meets Raj Thackeray

“There is no proposal currently of the BJP and MNS joining hands for the upcoming 2022 BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation polls,” Patil said after the meeting…reports Asian Lite News.

Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrakant Patil on Friday called on Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) President Raj Thackeray, but both sides emitted mixed signals on a possible tie-up.

The meeting raised political eyebrows for several reasons, the prime being Raj Thackeray has been an ardent admirer-turned-critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the past several years, besides being in the suspect list of a significant chunk of north-Indian communities in the city and its surroundings.

“There is no proposal currently of the BJP and MNS joining hands for the upcoming 2022 BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation polls,” Patil said after the meeting.

On the other hand, senior MNS leader and a confidante of Raj Thackeray, Bala Nandgaonkar, said that any alliance between the two parties would be “a welcome development” in state politics.

However, the leaders of the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) of Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress have not reacted to the development.

Patil said that Raj Thackeray is in favour of according priority to locals for employment opportunities in the state, and the MNS chief would make a demand for 80 per cent reservation for local residents.

“Some of his statements create an impression that he is against non-Maharashtrians, but after my discussions with him, I feel that he is very vocal about the rights of the locals and fights for them while not wanting to spread hatred against non-Maharashtrians,” Patil said.

On his part, Raj Thackeray, the estranged cousin of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, was an ardent fan of then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi after his tour of the state in August 2011.

Even as he became a political pariah among the state’s Opposition parties, a few years later from 2014, he turned one of the most bitter critics of Modi, who had by then become the country’s Prime Minister.

Raj Thackeray’s shrill anti-Modi campaign hogged the limelight with his series of public meetings with the ‘Laa re te video” (play that video), accompanied by his caustic narratives on the alleged acts of the PM, making him persona non-grata even in the BJP circles.

He continued to take political pot-shots at the BJP, Modi and other top party leaders regularly even through his cartoons, but has apparently become less aggressive after his cousin took over as the CM of Maharashtra in November 2019, edging out the BJP.

Widely expected to play the role of a king-maker in state politics by 2019, the 15-year-old MNS party was reduced to electing a sole MLA, relegated to the political pavements.

A helping hand from the BJP could catapult it back onto the main road now.

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