The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Wednesday wondered whether Eknath Shinde was made the chief minister of Maharashtra at the cost of losing the mega Vedanta Foxconn sign MoU with Gujarat govt to set up semiconductor unit in state with Rs 1.54 lakh cr investment semiconductor project to Gujarat. NCP chief spokesperson Mahesh Tapase asked if Shinde, a Shivsainik, was serving the interest of Maharashtra or Gujarat.
The plant was earlier supposed to be set up in Maharashtra and the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government had held several rounds of discussions with Foxconn. “It seems CM Shinde was made the chief minister of Maharashtra at the cost of losing such a high investment plant to Gujarat. Is CM Shinde serving the interest of Maharashtra or serving the interest of Gujarat?” asked Tapase. Tapase said the erstwhile MVA government had initiated proper dialogue and discussion with Vedanta group and its counterpart Foxconn for investment and Talegaon near Pune was finalised to set up the project. He said the MVA government- comprising Shiv Sena, NCP, and Congress- had offered the best incentives to the Vedanta-Foxconn venture intending to create huge employment opportunities for the local youth. He said Shinde is busy justifying his rebellion to the people of Maharashtra and does not even talk of development issues like employment and industrialisation. “Eknath Shinde owes an explanation to the people of Maharashtra,” Tapase added. The latest political controversy has sparked a huge controversy in Maharashtra.