Maharashtra: Opposition unites against bullet train

The nation will see yet another opposition unity in Palghar after the BJP emerged victorious in the Lok Sabha bypolls on Thursday. An embittered Shiv Sena has joined hands with the Congress and four other regional parties under the 'Bullet Train Virodhi Janmanch' and the 'Bhumi Adhikar Andolan' (BAA).

In order to oppose the bullet train project in Palghar, the leaders of all the six opposition parties— including Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and Congress leader Jairam Ramesh— will address a rally on June 3.

As both the Assembly election in the state are also slated for 2019, the unified opposition has strategized to isolate BJP, thereby mobilising public opinion against it. Despite sharing power with BJP, Shiv Sena has always been vocal against PM Narendra Modi's landmark project of the Mumbai Ahmedabad bullet train. Shiv Sena has alleged that the Rs 1 lakh-crore project was planned to draw more investment in Gujarat, adding that only traders and investors will reap its benefits.

State Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president and former minister, Jayant Patil told DNA, "The bullet train is not a priority. The Centre should have focused on strengthening the present railway and road infrastructure and providing additional prices to farmers."

A total of 350 hectares of land in Maharashtra will be used for the project, of which 65 acres of land will be from 28 villages in the Palghar district.

State Congress president, Ashok Chavan alleged that the Centre and the state are merely interested in getting tribal and farmland for the bullet train and Samruddhi Expressway (Mumbai-Nagpur) projects. Taking a dig at CM Devendra Fadnavis, Chavan said that the CM is more interested in Gujarat's development than that of Palghar. However, on its part, BJP argues that the first fast train in India - Rajdhani Express - which was introduced in 1969 between New Delhi and Howrah had also drawn flak.

REPURCUSSIONS

A total of 350 hectares of land in Maharashtra will be used for the bullet train project, of which 65 acres of land will be from 28 villages in the Palghar district. 
Shiv Sena has alleged that the Rs 1 lakh-crore project was planned to draw more investment in Gujarat, rather than Maharashtra