The MES organised a ‘Maha Melava’ rally to put forth its demand for a united Maharashtra that includes Belagavi, Karwar, and Bidar districts, to coincide with the winter session of the State assembly.
Dhanajay Madik, MP from Kolhapur, and Sandhya Kulkarni, MLA from Chandgad in Kolhapur district, attended the rally. Deputy Commissioner S. Ziyaullah had forbidden any leader from Maharashtra participating in the rally by a special order issued on Sunday.
The rally scheduled to be held in the Vaccine depot premises was shifted to the road in front of the depot. Some of the organisers told presspersons later that the city corporation of Belagavi, that owns the depot land, had not permitted its usage.
Police Commissioner T.G. Krishna Bhat had permitted the rally with some conditions.
Leaders including Deepak Dalavi and Maloji Ashtikar addressed the rally. Mr. Dalavi spoke against Kannada imposition by the State government on Marathi speaking people. Mr Ashtikar said the State government had violated the guidelines of the state reorganisation commission that had favoured merger of Belagavi with Maharashtra.
MLAs Aravind Patil and Sambhaji Patil also spoke.