Bengaluru : Chief Minister Shinde has withdrawn from Karnataka election campaign, sources said. The Maharashtra-Karnataka border dispute is still raging while the assembly election campaign is in full swing in Karnataka. Promising to resolve border disputes, the BJP has deployed an army of leaders from Maharashtra to Karnataka to campaign against the Maharashtra Integration Committee.
CM Eknath Shinde has withdrawn from the election campaign so as not to incur the wrath of the BJP. Marathi speakers in Karnataka are angry about this. Considering the displeasure of Marathi speakers, the Chief Minister has decided to send Shiledar, Minister Shambhu Raje Desai to Karnataka. The question arises as to why the Chief Minister is not coming to Karnataka.
A whole lot of BJP Ministers and leaders went from Maharashtra to campaign in Karnataka. They included Union Minister Dr. Bhagwat Karad, Mumbai BJP President Ashish Shelar, Culture Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar, Medical Education Minister Girish Mahajan along with a 40-member team. From Congress, Prof Vasant Purke, Dr Nitin Raut, Mohan Joshi, Dr Varsha Gaikwad, Sunil Kedar, and chief spokesperson Atul Londhe along with 28 people will go for campaigning. Shiv Sena Thackeray group, NCP stands firmly behind Maharashtra Integration Committee.
Is Chief Minister afraid of BJP?
After the split in the Shiv Sena this year, there was a discussion about who will support the Maharashtra Integration Committee in this year's elections. The delegation of Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti sought a meeting of Eknath Shinde. Minister Shambhuraj Desai intervened and arranged a meeting between the Chief Minister and the delegation of the Maharashtra Integration Committee. Is Eknath Shinde, who became Chief Minister with BJP's support, afraid of BJP? This question is now being raised by Marathi speakers in Karnataka.
Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti is contesting elections in five assembly constituencies with full strength in Karnataka. Jayant Patil from NCP, late leader RR Patil's son Rohit Patil, Sanjay Raut from Shiv Sena Thackeray group, Shambhuraj Desai from Shinde group will attend the campaign. Meetings will be held after campaigning in five constituencies. Manohar Kinekar, former MLA of Karnataka State, expressed the belief that we will win in these five seats.
