In Maharashtra, a Nursery Rhyme Attack From the Opposition

The Opposition in Maharashtra started the first day of the assembly session today with a parody of a popular nursery rhyme. Their targets -- ministers Pankaja Munde, Vinod Tawde and Babanrao Lonikar.

The show started as soon as Ms Munde, accompanied by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, made their way into the premises.

The opposition lawmakers -- led by Leader of Opposition Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil and Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council and Pankaja Munde's cousin, Dhananjay Munde -- were grouped around the entrance.

Soon, chants of "Pankaja Pankaja. Yes Papa. Eating chikki? Yes Papa," filled the air. Even former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan was seen lending his voice to the chorus.

Ms Munde and Mr Tawde have been accused of clearing contracts worth crores in a non-transparent manner. The Chikki scam, as it is known in Ms Munde's case, relates to the supply of allegedly adulterated snacks at government schools.

Mr Tawde has also come under attack for what the Opposition calls a fake degree.

Mr Lonikar has been accused of having a second wife, although no mention of this has been made in any of his poll-time affidavits. He was heckled with chants of "Lonikar Lonikar. Yes Papa. Don baika (two wives). Hahaha."

The ministers, who maintain they have done no wrong, have been given clean chits by the Chief Minister -- for which the Opposition has dubbed Mr Fadnavis the "clean chit Chief Minister".

"I am ready and the whole government is ready with all the papers, documents and facts. But they don't have the facts and that's why they are using other ways of campaigning," Ms Munde told reporters.

"Let them use these ways and if they are ready to discuss logically, we are ready to answer everything logically," she added.