\'Sharad Pawar taught us…\': Uddhav\'s dig at former ally BJP, Fadnavis

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday took a dig at Devendra Fadnavis over his statement that the BJP was the single largest party in the Maharashtra Assembly.

Addressing the annual general meeting of the Vasantdada Sugar Institute, Thackeray said: “Sharad Pawar has taught us how to raise farm productivity and also how to form a government with less member of MLAs in the legislative Assembly."

Thackeray also assured a complete farm loan waiver in the state. The statement came a day after the Shiv Sena-led government formally approved a loan waiver scheme under which short-term crop loan up to Rs 2 lakh taken by farmers between April 1, 2015-March 31, 2019, would be written off.

Under the scheme, short-term restructured crop loan arrears up to September 30, 2019, would also be waived.

"We have waived loans worth Rs 2 lakh (per farmer) as immediate relief to cultivators. But we will also make sure that their entire (crop) loan is waived," Thackeray said.

The BJP and the Sena fought the October 21 Assembly polls together, but their alliance collapsed after the latter walked out and joined hands with the Congress and the NCP.

The three parties then formed the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in November-end. Sharad Pawar, a veteran Maharashtra leader known to specialise in coalitions, acted as the go-between when the Congress struggled with the idea of joining hands with the ideologically opposite Sena.

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