Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan has offered Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray her congratulations
Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan has offered her "heartiest congratulations" to Uddhav Thackeray ahead of the Shiv Sena chief's swearing-in as Maharashtra Chief Minister this evening. Ms Bachchan said the two families - the Bachchans and the Thackerays - shared a special relationship and that she hoped Mr Thackeray would work towards the development of the state. Uddhav Thackeray is set to take oath as Chief Minister, at the head of a three-party alliance that includes the NCP and the Congress, in a mega event in Mumbai's Shivaji Park at around 6 pm.
"(The) Thackeray family and we share a deep & old relationship. My heartiest congratulations to him (Uddhav Thackeray) on becoming Chief Minister. I sincerely hope he works towards the betterment of Maharashtra, provides relief to farmers and gives youth employment," Jaya Bachchan was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
The Sena-Congress-NCP government - an unlikely alliance that calls itself Maha Vikas Aghadi (for the development of Maharashtra) - today released details of a common minimum programme that is expected to point the way forward for the three parties, and high on that list is relief to farmers.
Among the points detailed in the CMP is the provision of "immediate" assistance to farmers affected by the deadly combination of drought and floods that hit earlier this year. The CMP also calls for an "immediate" loan waiver and the revision of a crop insurance scheme to ensure "immediate" compensation for farmers.
The focus on farmers was also highlighted by Shiv Sena MLA Deepak Kesarkar on Thursday.
As part of its development agenda for the state the Sena has also said it will review key projects that were sanctioned under the previous, BJP-ruled, government. These include Prime Minister Narendra Modi's bullet train project and the Metro car shed in Mumbai's Aarey Colony.
Other areas highlighted in the CMP include generating jobs, ensuring safety of women and social justice and healthcare.
Jaya Bachchan's husband, Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan, shared close ties with Bal Thackeray, the late Sena founder.