Latest news with #NCP-SP
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Supriya Sule: NCP to back Thackerays on Hindi stand
NAGPUR: NCP-SP working president and Baramati MP Supriya Sule on Saturday reiterated the party's stance against "imposing" Hindi, aligning with her father Sharad Pawar's views. "Language education is not a political issue. Subjects like health, education and history should stay above politics. Our party will participate in full strength in the Mumbai rally against imposition of Hindi. If directed by the party, I will also join the protest," she said. She also expressed disappointment over CM Devendra Fadnavis not responding to requests for meetings over key issues. "I've sought time to discuss issues like farm loan waivers and crop insurance. There is also a need to discuss the language issue."
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
‘Trying to create rift': Sharad Pawar questions demand to name Pune railway station after Bajirao I
NCP-SP chief Sharad Pawar on Friday waded into the debate over naming Pune railway station, saying that people were unnecessarily creating a rift among communities by raising the issue. Pawar was speaking in the backdrop of BJP Rajya Sabha MP Medha Kulkarni's recent demand that the railway station be named after Thorle Bajirao Peshwa I. Also known as Bajirao I, Thorle Bajirao Peshwa was appointed the 'peshwa' or chief minister of the Maratha confederacy from 1720 to 1740 during the reign of Chhatrapati Shahu. However, Kulkarni's demand led to protests from Maratha organisations and Opposition parties. 'There was no reason to create a dispute by raising the issue now. I have not understood why there is an urge to give the name of Bajirao Peshwe. If bravery is the criterion, there are many names. Maratha king Sambhaji was known for his bravery and sacrifice,' Pawar said in Kolhapur. The NCP(SP) chief said there was no reason to raise the issue now. 'Some people only try to create a rift between different communities without any reason,' he added. Kulkarni had requested that the Indian Railways give the Peshwa's name to Pune railway station, citing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's stand on highlighting local history in the name and planning of railway stations. The leader had never lost a battle, and such a great figure deserves the honour, she had said. However, city NCP (SP) chief Prashant Jagtap had opposed the demand, saying many historical leaders could be considered for the same honour. Meanwhile, NCP(SP) spokesperson and former city mayor Ankush Kakade said that the Pune railway station should be named after social reformer Jyotirao Phule or political and social leader Gopalkrishna Gokhale, considered to be the mentor of Mahatma Gandhi. A leader of the Maratha organisation Sambhaji Brigade, Santosh Shinde, also said that the organisations and political parties should oppose the move to name Pune railway station after Bajirao Peshwe, and suggested the names of Jyotirao Phule and Savitribai Phule instead. Shiv Sena (UBT) workers in Pune had also put up flex boards against Kulkarni, following which the police had registered a case against unidentified persons. Ajay Jadhav is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, Pune. He writes on Infrastructure, Politics, Civic issues, Sustainable Development and related stuff. He is a trekker and a sports enthusiast. Ajay has written research articles on the Conservancy staff that created a nationwide impact in framing policy to improve the condition of workers handling waste. Ajay has been consistently writing on politics and infrastructure. He brought to light the lack of basic infrastructure of school and hospital in the hometown of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde even as two private helipads were developed by the leader who mostly commutes from Mumbai to Satara in helicopter. Ajay has been reporting on sustainable development initiatives that protects the environment while ensuring infrastructure development. ... Read More
Indian Express
5 days ago
- Business
- Indian Express
‘No objection from finance department': As Opposition calls for rethink, Devendra Fadnavis says Shaktipeeth Expressway still on
A day after The Indian Express reported how the Maharashtra finance department had flagged the financial burden on the state over the Rs 20,787 crore loan guarantee given for the land acquisition for the Nagpur-Goa Shaktipeeth Expressway, the Opposition called for a rethink. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, however, maintained that the project will move forward as the finance department has not raised any objections. 'There is no objection from the finance department. It has merely done its work of pointing out data and nothing else. Infrastructure across the world is built by availing loans,' Fadnavis said, speaking to reporters at the legislative building in Mumbai. Saying that the construction of highways strengthens and expands the economy, Fadnavis said, 'There was opposition to the Samruddhi Expressway as well, but it has changed the face of many districts. The Shaktipeeth Expressway will change the face of Marathwada and the drought-affected region of the state.' The Nagpur-Goa Shaktipeeth Expressway is one of the largest road infrastructure projects in the country. The proposed 802-kilometre high-speed corridor, officially known as the Maharashtra Shaktipeeth Mahamarg, will connect Pavnar in Wardha district to Patradevi in Sindhudurg, near the Maharashtra-Goa border. The project had been halted due to farmers' protests in 2024. In a note, the finance department on Tuesday raised questions over borrowing at a higher rate for the project, pointed to the financial status of the state and advised the government to rethink its Build Operate and Transfer policy for mega projects and prioritise projects by the appropriate use of available financial resources. 'Maharashtra's finance department has raised several critical points on loan guarantee extended to the Shaktipeeth Expressway. The state is staring at the potential financial mismanagement due to this project. At a time when farmers are protesting against the land acquisition for the project, such financial burden will damage the financial health of the country. It is time for the state government to rethink the project,' Supriya Sule, MP and NCP-SP working president, said. Sule said that the Maharashtra government is facing a financial crunch to provide facilities of education, health and water, but wants to move ahead with a project which would be a financial burden on the state exchequer. 'We do not want Maharashtra to get caught in financial bankruptcy. The issue needs to be raised at the national level as well,' she said. Congress MLC Satej Patil, who hails from Kolhapur and is leading the anti-Shaktipeeth expressway agitation, said that the finance department has raised questions on the financial structure of the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation—it will implement the Shaktipeeth Expressway project—as well. 'It clearly shows that all is not well within the state government. There is disagreement within the state government itself over this project,' said Patil. He maintained that farmers across the state are opposing the project, and will continue to oppose it.
The Hindu
17-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Sharad Pawar puts a full stop to speculation on reunion with Ajit Pawar's NCP
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP-SP) supremo Sharad Pawar on Tuesday (June 17, 2025) put the brakes on speculation about a possible merger between the two factions of the NCP in Maharashtra, saying his party would not align with anyone who had joined hands with the BJP for power. Also Read | Sharad Pawar downplays meetings with nephew Ajit, says nothing wrong in discussing people's issues 'We won't come together with those who joined hands with the BJP. We can only be with people who believe in the ideology of Gandhi, Shahu, Phule and Ambedkar,' said the former Chief Minister, addressing party workers in Pimpri-Chinchwad in Pune district. His statement comes amid growing speculation of NCP-SP and his nephew Ajit Pawar's NCP reunion, ahead of the upcoming local polls in the State. Mr. Pawar and Ajit Pawar were seen sharing the stage on several occasions, fuelling the rumours. Without taking the name of Mr. Ajit Pawar, he said, 'I don't want to encourage the politics of opportunism.' Those who partner with the BJP cannot have the thought process of the NCP, he said. Mr. Ajit Pawar, along with a few leaders, had joined the BJP-led government in Maharashtra, causing a split in the NCP in July 2023. In the Lok Sabha election held in June 2024, the NCP-SP was ahead in the race but suffered a setback in the Assembly election held in November 2024. Now, with the upcoming local polls, party functionaries and former corporators are shuffling between parties. Several former corporators — including Ajit Gavhane, an NCP-SP candidate who contested the Maharashtra Assembly election from Bhosari, Pune — are set to join the NCP. Mr. Pawar told party workers 'not to worry'. 'Don't worry about who is leaving, focus on preparation and winning elections, we will take everyone who follows the thought process of Shahu-Ambedkar-Phule-Gandhi,' he said. Giving an example of how a comeback can be made, Mr. Pawar said, 'I remember becoming the Chief Minister of Maharashtra in 1978, only to see our government dismissed in 1980. In the next election, our party won 70 seats. However, during my trip to England for ten days, all 70 MLAs, except six, defected from the party. I was surprised to see mass defection as our workers worked hard for these MLAs. Still, I did not lose hope, and I increased my contact with people,' he said. He said the party's MLAs later won and the party became one of the important in the Maharashtra Assembly.
Indian Express
14-06-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
State forms committee to look into demand for farm loan waiver
With local body polls set to be held within three to four months, the Maharashtra government has announced setting up of a committee to look into the demands of farm loan waiver. The move comes after former independent MLA Bachchu Kadu threatened to intensify his ongoing fast from June 16 by deciding to drop water intake. Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Saturday wrote to Kadu informing him the same. 'A high-level committee will be set up on the issue of farm loan waiver within 15 days. A decision on the farm loan waiver will be taken based on the report. And a decision on staying the loan recovery from a defaulter and providing new loan will be taken by holding a special meeting,' said the letter, which was submitted to Kadu by Industries Minister Uday Samant. Kadu has been on fast for the past seven days in Amravati district demanding farm loan waiver, scholarship for their children, monthly honorarium of Rs 6,000 for disabled persons etc. All political parties had extended support to Kadu's agitation with NCP-SP chief Sharad Pawar calling him. A state-wide roadblock agitation was planned on June 15 as Kadu had announced to give up water from Monday. Bawankule on Friday had met Kadu and dialled CM Devendra Fadnavis from the protest site. The revenue minister had said that the decision on farm loan waiver will be taken in consultation with the cabinet. The letter mentioned that a decision on budgetary provision for honorarium for Divyang people will be taken in the upcoming monsoon session of the legislature and other demands will be addressed by holding a meeting of chief minister and ministers concerned. Earlier in the day, workers of Kadu created ruckus at the programme of Deputy CM Ajit Pawar demanding farm loan waiver. Pawar informed them that a decision has been taken to form a committee on all the demands raised by Kadu. As the protesters continued sloganeering, police used force and removed them from the auditorium. Meanwhile, opposition Congress slammed the state government over the decision to announce a committee on farm loan waiver. 'Why was no committee mentioned when Mahayuti promised farm loan waiver in its campaign during Assembly elections? The government has no intent to extend the waiver but wants to merely survive the day. The Rs 2,100 promised under Ladki Bahin scheme have not yet been given. This government is misleading people,' said state Congress chief Harshavardhan Sapkal. Senior Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat questioned the need to form a committee. 'The government has lakhs of crore to construct highways but has no money for farm loan waiver. The government in the past has used this trick of forming committee to sideline the issue,' said Thorat.
