Won't Sit Quietly Till Maharashtra Government Is Changed: Sharad Pawar

NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar on Sunday said the opposition won't sit quietly till the Mahayuti dispensation in Maharashtra is dislodged from power in the next two months and a new government is formed on the ideals of Chhatrapati Shivaji.

Addressing party workers at Ghatkopar in Mumbai, Mr Pawar slammed the state government over the collapse of the statue of the legendary warrior king in Sindhudurg district on August 26.

He said those in power in the state have no "faith" in Shivaji Maharaj. The ruling Mahayuti comprises BJP, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and NCP headed by Ajit Pawar.

"I assure you (party workers) that if you show your unity, then we will not sit quietly till the government in Maharashtra is changed in the next two months and a new government is formed on the ideals of Shivaji Maharaj that will safeguard the interests of people," Mr Pawar said.

The collapse of the 35-foot Shivaji statue at Rajkot fort in Malvan tehsil has triggered a firestorm in the state, with the opposition targeting the Mahayuti for "corruption" and "insult" to the icon.

Besides Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and other state leaders, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also apologised over the incident.

Mr Pawar said there are allegations of corruption while constructing the statue but he has no evidence about it.

"But how does a statue collapse? This means the quality of the statue deteriorated. Shivaji had never been insulted the way he was under this government," Mr Pawar said.

The government says a new statue will be constructed but what about the damage that was done, he asked.

The NCP (SP) chief said "wrong and corrupt decisions" were taken while constructing the statue.

Earlier in the day, Mr Pawar joined a protest march by the opposition bloc Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) from Hutatma Chowk to the Gateway of India in south Mumbai over the statue collapse.

Elections to the 288-member Maharashtra assembly will likely be held in October or November.

Attacking the Centre over the lateral entry scheme, which had triggered a political row recently, Mr Pawar said the one in power won't safeguard people's interests. 

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