An immediate and complete farm loan waiver, 80% reservation in jobs for locals, 500 sq.-feet houses for slum dwellers, meals for ₹10 are some of the key commitments that feature in the common minimum programme (CMP) released by the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance partners on Thursday. The CMP avoided mention of any contentious issues such as the Shiv Sena’s earlier demand for a Bharat Ratna for V.D. Savarkar.
The MVA is the name given to the coalition of the Shiv Sena, the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party. The CMP, which was released by the allies ahead of Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray being sworn in as Chief Minister, is based on the Preamble to the Indian Constitution. “On contentious issues of national importance as well as of State importance, especially having repercussions on the secular fabric of the nation, the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress will take a joint view after holding consultations and arriving at a consensus,” the CMP reads.
The CMP has laid the greatest emphasis on farmers’ welfare and calls for an immediate loan waiver to all farmers, immediate assistance to farmers suffering due to premature rains and floods, a crop insurance scheme for immediate compensation of crop losses, appropriate remunerative prices for farm produce and the construction of sustainable water supply systems in drought affected areas.
The coalition aims to enact a law to ensure 80% reservation in jobs for locals/domicile youth and will give a fellowship for educated, unemployed youth. Besides, the MVA will provide 500 sq.-feet houses to slum dwellers instead of the 300 sq.-feet dwellings being provided currently. It will adopt various schemes to eliminate social, economic, educational backwardness of the minority community and implement constitutional safeguards for its security and welfare in letter and spirit.
“Every MVA decision will be in accordance to the Indian constitution,” said Eknath Shinde, Shiv Sena’s legislative party leader, speaking at the release of the CMP. “ Every decision will be equal for everyone, there will be no discrimination on the lines of caste, religion. Nobody will feel scared, nobody will be favoured. Working for the development of Maharashtra will be our agenda. Farmers are in distress, this common minimum programme has been created keeping farmers in mind,” added Mr. Shinde.
When asked about opposition to the bullet train project, Mr. Shinde said, “Decisions like those concerning bullet train will be taken once government is in place. A decision will be taken in people’s interest.” Shiv Sena leaders had questioned the necessity of a bullet train on Wednesday. The NCP’s Nawab Malik and Jayant Patil and Mr. Shinde parried questions on whether the Sena would continue to demand Bharat Ratna for Savarkar. Asked about Mr. Thackeray’s plans to visit Ayodhya, Mr. Shinde said there was no change in Mr. Thackeray’s position, without elaborating further. When asked about reservations for Muslims, the three leaders responded in the affirmative but did not provide any specifics.
Queried about the felling of trees inside the Aarey colony for the Metro III work and subsequent construction, Mr. Patil said, “Nothing that is not in the interest of Mumbai’s citizens will be done. We will look for options for Metro work inside Aarey colony. Let us be sworn in first.”
When asked about the State government helping PMC Bank depositors, Mr. Patil said, “PMC bank is a national issue, we will facilitate from the State’s end and help them.”
There will be two coordination committees, one for coordination within the State cabinet and another for coordination among the alliance partners.
