Key Points

The opposition leaders alleged that not appointing the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the state Assembly was a murder of the Constitution, and efforts are underway to curb democracy.

The opposition parties claimed that amid rising corruption, unemployment, crime against women, farmers' suicides, lack of guaranteed prices for agricultural produce, corruption charges against the sitting and former ministers and above all irresponsible statements by ruling legislators, it would not be possible to take part in the customary tea meeting. They said it would be against their moral and democratic standards to attend the meeting.

The decision to boycott the customary tea meeting was taken at a meeting attended by opposition parties mainly from the constituents of Maha Vikas Aghadi comprising the leader of opposition in the state council and Shiv Sena(UBT) leader Ambadas Danve, former LoP in the Assembly and Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar, Shiv Sena(UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray, NCP(SP) group leader Jitendra Awhad, Congress legislator Satej Patil among others.

Danve, who was accompanied by other opposition leaders, told reporters that the MahaYuti government was imposing Hindi language in Marathi and English schools from Classes 1 to 5, and thereby destroying the Marathi language. He said the government is not serious about the education sector.

He further alleged that there has been a complete deterioration of law and order and increasing political interference in the functioning of the police department. He claimed that the home department, headed by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, has failed miserably to contain crime against women and maintain law and order.

The Maha Vikas Aghadi leaders strongly opposed the proposed Rs 86,300 crore Shaktipeeth MaahMarg, saying that it would lead to a major fiscal disaster.

Wadettiwar alleged that corruption in various departments, including revenue, public works, urban development, agriculture and police, has been at its peak.

Danve and Wadettiwar accused the MahaYuti government of not keeping its poll promise of waiving farm loans. They alleged that the agricultural crisis in the state was not merely due to natural calamities but also because of the government’s administrative failure.

The Congress leader referred to the increasing public debt, which he claimed was over Rs 10 lakh crore. He said that state finances were in bad shape and therefore the government was not in a position to make recruitments, thereby impacting the job prospects of the young generation.

- IANS