Akalis’ delegation meets CM Thackeray, bats for farmers, federalism

By Quaid Najmi Mumbai, Dec 6 : Indicating Maharashtra’s eminence in national politics, a delegation of Shiromani Akali Dal on Sunday met Maha Vikas Aghadi Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and other leaders, seeking support for the ongoing farmers’ agitation and the cause of federalism.
Led by ex-MP and SAD General Secretary Prem Singh Chandumajra, the Akali delegation discussed the new farm laws, the agitation by peasantry on the Delhi borders and the manner in which the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government at the Centre was allegedly weakening the federal structure of India.
They urged Thackeray to join a meeting of major Opposition and regional parties from around the country in New Delhi scheduled within a fortnight to draw out the future strategy.
Thackeray assured that he would attend the meeting and also expressed full support to all programmes in the farmers protest over the farm laws.
“The (Maharashtra) CM has said he will support the farmers’ agitation and also attend the meeting in Delhi a couple of weeks later,” said a delegation member afterwards.
Slamming the Centre, Sena’s ruling ally Nationalist Congress Party President Sharad Pawar – who will call on President Ram Nath Kovind on December 9 evening – said that when the agricultural Bill were getting passed in Parliament in September, the opposition parties had urged the central government not to rush through.