Maharashtra budget session to begin today, amid political tension in the state

The maiden Budget Session of the Maharashtra government led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is set to be overshadowed by the ongoing bitter rivalry in state politics with Shinde “expressing satisfaction over not sharing tea with an ‘anti-national’ opposition” on Sunday evening and warning that he would “take care of them during the four-week-long session”.

It is the first session after Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s camp was given the Shiv Sena name and the ‘bow and arrow’ symbol for polling. According to the legislative majority, the EC recognised the party’s split last week. The move delivered a big jolt to the Uddhav Thackeray faction.The two factions have been locked in a bitter feud to lay claim to the 56-year-old party and the legacy of its founder Bal Thackeray. Amid the row, Assembly Speaker Rahul Narvekar said on Thursday that he had not received representation from any group claiming to be a separate party in the Lower House. Narvekar had already approved the appointment of Shinde as the legislature party leader.