Nagpur: Former leader of opposition in assembly, Vijay Wadettiwar, said Vidarbha had high hopes from CM Devendra Fadnavis, but the ‘son of the soil' disappointed with a curtailed winter session of the state legislature. Speaking with the media on Sunday, the senior Congress neta termed the one week winter session as "betrayal of Vidarbha". Wadettiwar said a longer session would have helped to resolve farmer related issues which plague the region.
Wadettiwar said, "For the new govt, the first legislative session is happening in Nagpur. And since the CM is from Vidarbha, we had high hopes. But CM Fadnavis has left the people of the region disappointed. How can justice be done to our region if we have such a short session?"
He added that the short duration came as a shock to the opposition. "Farmers are grappling with suicides, while crops like soyabean, paddy and cotton fail to fetch adequate prices. Despite these urgent concerns, the govt has neglected Vidarbha. Hence, we have boycotted the customary tea party, since this govt seems to be anti-farmer. They should have prioritized agricultural crisis resolution and used the assembly session to expedite relief for farmers," said Wadettiwar.
He also condemned what he called the erosion of "Constitutional values" in Maharashtra, citing alleged police action against Ambedkarite protesters. "After incidents of repression, including beatings and arrests, one activist tragically lost his life. This reflects poorly on the progressive legacy of Maharashtra," he said.
Referring to recent incidents, Wadettiwar raised concerns about the state of governance in Vidarbha. "In Beed, a sarpanch was kidnapped and brutally murdered, and the accused reportedly enjoys political backing," he said.
MVA held a strategy meeting at Opposition Leader Ambadas Danve's residence on the eve of the winter session. The meeting was attended by prominent MVA leaders, including Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole, NCP leader Jitendra Awhad, and Shiv Sena's Sunil Prabhu.