Shiv Sena yet to come out of opposition mindset, says Eknath Khadse

Mumbai: Even as Shiv Sena today questioned Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' claim of having sought financial help from the Centre over farmer suicides, the BJP today hit back at its ally saying the party is yet to come out of its "opposition mindset".

"It would have been good had they (the Sena) spoken to us directly if there were any questions in their mind. That would have made us happy. But they are making use of media to raise questions. This is not correct," State Revenue Minister Eknath Khadse told PTI.

"They should remember that they also have ministers in the government, which means they are part of the government. But I think they are yet to believe that they are in power now," Khadse said.

The BJP leader was reacting to an editorial in Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' today, in which it said that Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh has "invalidated" Fadnavis' claims that the state government has repeatedly asked for financial help from the Centre.

Khadse said the questionnaire has to be submitted to the Rajya Sabha forty days before the commencement of the Parliament session and at that time there were no losses incurred due to hailstorms and unseasonal rains. "The Union Agriculture Minister spoke as per the information available to him. What he said was not wrong. When the question was asked to him, there were no natural calamities and hence no losses. And secondly, it was a written answer and there was no discussion on it, otherwise we would have replied there itself," Khadse said.

The Sena, in its editorial said, "Who is playing with the lives of farmers when the Agriculture Minister says that the Centre has received no request for help for farmers?" Both ministers (Radha Mohan Singh and Khadse) are trying to prove that the other is lying then, who is actually speaking the truth?

The editorial further said that while the government announces immediate aid for farmers when a natural disaster occurs, the question remains if the aid actually reaches those it is meant for.