MVA slams Maha govt's splurge on 'lavish' Cabinet meet in Aurangabad

MUMBAI: The Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi has attacked the ruling MahaYuti government for "shameless" splurging of taxpayers' money to organise a luxurious state cabinet meeting in Aurangabad on Saturday.

Maharashtra unit Congress president Nana Patole slammed the 'EDA' regime of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy CMs Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar for the lavish show when farmers in the state are suffering and Marathas are agitating for quota.

Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Leader of Opposition (Council) Ambadas Danve has posed direct questions to the government on the status of the projects and promises of Rs 49,000 crore announced at the previous cabinet meeting held in Aurangabad in 2016, when Fadnavis was the CM.

"Despite the grim situation in the state, particularly Marathwada, the Chief Minister, Deputy CMs, Ministers and officials are being put in lavish five-star hotels in Aurangabad which was not done before. Spending millions on a cabinet meeting while ordinary citizens struggle with inflation is 'insensitive' and like rubbing salt on their wounds," Patole said.

Danve listed out that several projects announced in the 2016 cabinet meet -- like a memorial of the late Bal Thackeray, land for a textile mill park, plans to expand the Aurangabad Airport, a museum at Ter in Osmanabad, and others -- have yet to take off.

Patole said the MVA would extend support if Saturday's meeting addresses the concerns of the people in Marathwada "but the government is indulging in 'extravaganza' when in the past all CMs used to stay in the state guest house instead of deluxe hotels".

"Crores of rupees are being spent on the lodging-boarding, travel, fleet of vehicles and other requirements for the entire entourage. The government is only putting up a show, making empty promises to the people of Marathwada and then walking out," Patole said.

Danve referred to other issues like losses of farmers, lack of subsidy and other assistance to the tillers who have lost crops due to the monsoon vagaries while the people continue to suffer.

The state cabinet will converge in Aurangabad on Saturday – on the eve of the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Marathwada region from the control of the Nizam of Hyderabad on September 17, 1948.

As per local reports, several rooms in deluxe hotels have been booked for the ministers, the officials, the staff and others besides around 300 vehicles and massive police security for the exercise on Saturday.