Sena says Shinde is scared of Karnataka CM in border row

The Maharashtra-Karnataka border row intensified on Monday with leaders from Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Congress and Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) being denied entry into Belagavi in Karnataka, that is at the centre of the border dispute.

As the 10-day session of the Karnataka Legislature commenced in Belagavi amid tight security, MMES activist Suraj Kanbarkar said some members from opposition parties in Maharashtra proceeding towards Belagavi district were detained by the Maharashtra police. The session will be the last one of the current Assembly as elections in the southern state are due early next year.

Maharashtra’s Shiv Sena MP Dhairyasheel Mane, who was slated to attend ‘Mahamela’, organised by pro-Maharashtra outfit Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti(MES) on Monday in Belagavi district, was barred from entering the district.

MES-led ‘Mahamelava’ convention that takes place on the inaugural day of Karnataka assembly’s winter session every year, however, was cancelled after police refused to give permission.

Aaditya Thackeray, a leader of Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction, on Tuesday demanded a discussion on Karnataka-Maharashtra border issue in State Assembly and said that Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde is not talking about it due to fear.

“We want a discussion on Karnataka-Maharashtra border issue in State Assembly. We want to know what Maharashtra CM said in the meeting held in Delhi. Karnataka CM is aggressive on this issue but our CM doesn’t want to talk about it due to fear,” Aaditya Thackeray said.