Mumbai News Live Updates: MVA morcha in city on Dec 17 against govt

Ten gram panchayats of Akkalkot tehsil in Solapur district have passed resolutions in their gram sabhas to join Karnataka. They have also sought noobjection certificates from Maharashtra government through a common petition submitted to the Solapur collector’s office. Also, 55 villages in Nashik’s tribal-dominated Surgana taluka, which borders Gujarat, declared on Monday their inclination to merge with the neighbouring state. The Akkalkot villages that passed the resolution are Dharsang, Mangrul, Alage, Shawal, Kegaon, Hilli, Korsegaon, Kallakarjal, Devikavathe and Andewadi.

With BJP in office in both Maharashtra and Karnataka, it has come under sharp criticism from the opposition on the border issue. As ministers Chandrakant Patil and Shambhuraje Desai’s proposed visit to Belagavi on Tuesday is unlikely to go ahead, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut mocked the government, saying, “There is a game called kabaddi in Maharashtra. The government should at least go and touch the line of the border. They are scared, they have their tail between their legs.” NCP’s Ajit Pawar said, “How can the Karnataka CM’s statements be tolerated? Why aren’t the ministers going ahead with their visit? Maharashtra does not have a history of bending before anyone.” Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat said, “The Karnataka CM is making statements that are damaging to Maharashtra and our CM is saying nothing. ”

Chief minister Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena faction on Monday criticized Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari and BJP legislator Prasad Lad over their remarks about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. While the CM’s son Shrikant Shinde, who is an MP, said without naming either Koshyari or Lad that those who do not know history should not speak about it, the Shinde faction’s MLA Bharat Gogawale said no insult to Shivaji Maharaj would be tolerated and added that Koshyari was on his way out and their team would give him their best wishes.

Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis paid tributes to Dr B R Ambedkar on his 66th death anniversary on Tuesday. The death anniversary of the chief architect of the Constitution is observed as 'Mahaparinirvan Din'. Governor Koshyari, CM Shinde and his deputy Fadnavis paid floral tributes to Ambedkar at his memorial 'Chaityabhoomi' at the Shivaji Park in Dadar area of Mumbai.

With the addition of 22 new cases of coronavirus, Maharashtra's tally of infections reached 81,35,999 on Monday. At least 37 patients recovered from the infection during the day, taking the count of recoveries to 79,87,314, while the toll remained unchanged at 1,48,407.