Maharashtra DY CM Ajit Pawar says Govt just 2 months old, asks BJP to give them 'time'

On Tuesday, responding to the protests by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the commencement of the state budget session, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar asked the party to give the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government 'some time'. Ajit Pawar stated that their Government was only '2 months old' and that there was no need to start protesting against them. 

Read: Farm loan waiver: BJP stages protest in Vidhan Bhavan

"Every party has a right to protest, BJP can also protest against the state government on any issue. We are just two months old, we will try to work in such a way that opposition doesn't get a chance to hold such protest in the future," said Ajit Pawar.

Read: No rift among Maha Vikas Aghadi partners: Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray

'We invite the BJP' 

BJP legislators staged a protest on the steps of the Vidhan Bhawan building on Monday demanding complete loan waiver for farmers. They demanded that the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi government write off farmers' debts completely and also provide them financial assistance of Rs 25,000 per hectare for crop damage.

Addressing this protest Pawar stated, "The opposition must show patience and should give time to us. We invite the BJP to participate with the MVA govt for the betterment of Maharashtra." 

Read: Maharashtra BJP protests against govt in state over farm loan waiver

'Reminded of old days in opposition'

Ajit Pawar also stated that after seeing BJP's leader of opposition protest yesterday at the steps of the Assembly, he was reminded of NCP's old days as the opposition. "We have slowly started doing things for farmers and on women issues. The state budget will be announced soon and many issues will be taken in it," he said.

"After seeing BJP's leader of opposition protest yesterday at the steps of the Assembly, I recollect our old days as opposition," the NCP leader added.

Speaking to reporters outside the Legislature building, Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Devendra Fadnavis had said that the protests will continue till the cultivators get justice. "There are nearly 34 lakh farmers (eligible for seeking loan waiver), but a list of potential beneficiaries of some 20,000 cultivators is put out today. We condemn this selectiveness of the state government," BJP state president Chandrakant Patil said.

Read: 'Maharashtra govt continues to deceive farmers', says Fadnavis ahead of budget session

(With Agency Inputs)