"Why is the MVA wall unbreakable?": Ajit Pawar

Ruling out any fissures in the Shiv Sena-led coalition government in Maharashtra, senior NCP leader and deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Sunday invoked a popular television commercial on unbreakable wall to underline the unity of the ruling constituents.

Pawar's comments at the convention of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) here came against the backdrop of statements by some BJP leaders that the ruling dispensation comprising the Sena, the NCP and the Congress might not last long owing to contrasting view points of the member parties. Recently, senior RSS leader Suresh 'Bhaiyyaji' Joshi caused a flutter saying that former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis of BJP will not remain in opposition for long.

"Some people are talking about when the wall of the Maha Vikas Aghadi will develop cracks. But that wall is unbreakable due to the strongly cemented bonds (among the three parties).

"Yeh Diwar Tutati kyu Nahi Ye Mahavikas Aghadi ki Diwar tutegi kaise? Ambuja..Narmada...ACC cement se jo bani hai. ('Why this wall of the Maha Vikas Aghadi is not breaking'. How will it break because it is made up of Ambuja, ACC and Birla cement..," Pawar said while mimicking the television commercial.

The Sharad Pawar-led NCP shares power with the Sena and the Congress in the state. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar had repeatedly asserted that the state government will last its full term. The Sena, a former ally of the BJP, joined hands with the two ideologically opposite parties after the state assembly elections in 2019 to form a government.

At the convention, the NCP flagged off its "Mission BMC 2022" in view of the upcoming elections to the Mumbai civic body. The party has put banners across the metropolis highlighting the "Mission 2022". On the occasion, Pawar put the target for his party to win 50-60 seats in the 227-member Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in the elections. The NCP has 8 corporators in the civic body.

The BMC has been ruled by the Sena. He also said the NCP should win at least 10 seats from Mumbai in the next assembly elections. Hinting at the NCP's plans to expand its base in Mumbai, which the Sena considers as its backyard, Pawar said he will dedicate a day every month for resolving the issues related to the metropolis.

Listing various welfare projects launched by the state government after coming to power, the deputy CM said the MVA government has made learning of the Marathi language compulsory in all schools up to class 10 and launched 'Shiv Bhojan' subsidised lunch plate scheme for the poor. During his speech, Pawar refuted reports that the state government stopped any development-related works in the state out of a political vendetta.

"Only doubtful works and the works not meant for the welfare of the society were stopped," he said.

The opposition BJP had accused the state government of either reversing or putting brakes on the projects launched by it during 2014-19.