No rift, MVA to follow CM’s decision on RS polls: Samant

Nagpur: Amid media reports about Rajya Sabha seat aspirant Sambhaji Raje turning down chief minister’s conditional offer of support and Shiv Sena fielding its nominee for the Upper House polls, senior Sena minister Uday Samant on Tuesday said there is no rift in the MVA on the issue.
Samant, who is scheduled to attend Nagpur University’s 109th convocation on Wednesday wherein governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari would preside over the function in virtual mode, due to health issues, said NCP supremo Sharad Pawar has already indicated that he would go with the CM’s decision.
“A delegation comprising Sena secretaries Milind Narwekar and Anil Desai met Raje with CM’s message on Monday. I do not know about today’s development, but whatever decision is taken by the CM would be binding on all of us,” Samant told the media.
On 25 MLAs led by Ramtek legislator Ashish Jaiswal complaining about non-allocation of funds to their constituencies, Samant said the CM had a detailed discussion with them on the issue.
“If injustice is meted out to them, a solution would be found out. Where less amount was received, senior ministers would ensure additional funds are allocated. All this would not have any effect on the MVA government, which will complete full term.”
The minister added after the last legislature session, the CM, deputy CM Ajit Pawar and revenue minister Balasaheb Thorat had declared Rs25-Rs 30 crore funds for all MLAs for development works in their constituencies and those were released also.
On MNS leaders circulating photos of BJP’s wrestler MP from UP Brij Bhushan Singh with NCP MP Supriya Sule and her father Pawar senior, the minister said the opposition wants to defame Sule, who is doing commendable work in the Lok Sabha. “Singh had disclosed that he was following the BJP agenda, but none of the MNS workers were uttering a single word against it. I have stopped believing them,” he said.