Oppn to boycott Fadnavis govt’s high tea invite: Sena (UBT) leader

Mumbai: Senior Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Bhaskar Jadhav said the Opposition would boycott the customary tea party hosted by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday on the eve of the Maharashtra legislature’s Budget Session.

Fadnavis had personally written to senior members inviting them to the event, which is a tradition on the eve of a session of the legislature, Jadhav added.

“The ruling party is arrogant and shows little respect towards the Opposition. Since there is no respect, no decency and no regard for the Constitution, we have decided to decline the high tea invitation,” Jadhav told reporters.

He also slammed the trade deal between India and the United States, claiming it would adversely affect cotton growers and fisherfolk from the state.

However, the Fadnavis government has expressed no regret over the Union government’s decision; therefore, it was decided to boycott the high tea invitation, the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader added.

Jadhav said another reason for the Opposition to decline the invite was due to the Maharashtra government’s “ambiguous stand” on the death of Ajit Pawar in a plane accident.

He also slammed the state government over the execution of the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin scheme, claiming that before the 2024 Assembly elections, it had disbursed Rs 1,500 per month to women without any verification and “bought votes”, and later declared more than 50 lakh women ineligible on trivial grounds.

And now, many women will not receive the allowance because they have not completed e-KYC, he said.