Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, Governor of Maharashtra, conveyed his wish to step down from political responsibilities to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the latter’s recent visit to Mumbai. In a statement issued by Raj Bhavan, Governor Koshyari has expressed his desire to spend the rest of his life reading, writing and other leisurely activities.
Meanwhile, ending days of suspense, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) chief Prakash Ambedkar addressed a joint press conference on Monday to announce an alliance. Speaking on the occasion, Uddhav said: “Nation first. We have come together to safeguard the national interests and address the concerns of people at the grassroots.” Prakash Ambedkar, meanwhile, said, “We are here to save the Constitution and democracy.”
The 97th birth anniversary of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray will be marked by the two factions of the Shiv Sena separately on Monday. While Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led faction will unveil Bal Thackeray’s portrait in the central hall of the state legislature in South Mumbai, Uddhav Thackeray will pay tribute to his father at Bal Thackeray’s lifesize statue installed at Regal Circle in Colaba.
Though Uddhav was invited by the state government for the unveiling of Bal Thackeray’s oil portrait, he has chosen to skip the function. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday remembered the Shiv Sena founder on the occasion of his 97th birth anniversary. Incidentally, Monday is also the day when Uddhav’s term as Shiv Sena party president ends. He has not been re-elected yet owing to the ongoing battle of who controls the Shiv Sena before the Election Commission.
Chhatrapati Udayanraje Bhosale, the 13th direct descendent of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, had called Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari “third class” and said he should be shunted to an old-age home. Koshyari, on several occasions in the past, has been criticised by the then Maha Vikas Aghadi government for statements on Mahatma Jyotirao Phule and the contributions of the Marwari-Gujarati communities to the development of the state.
