Karnataka border row resolution in Maharashtra assembly today; oppn, govt sparring on

Amid a simmering row with Karnataka, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Tuesday presented a resolution - on the decades-old border dispute - in the state assembly. Stressing that Maharashtra will fight the pending case in the Supreme Court with full strength for the inclusion of each and every inch of 865 villages including Belgavi, Karwar, Nipani, Bidar Bhalki, the resolution was passed unanimously. It also condemned the administration for its anti-Marathi stand in the border area.

This came a day after former CM and Shinde's ex party colleague - Uddhav Thackeray - suggested that the contested area should be brought under central rule till the issue is resolved in the Supreme Court. The decades-old dispute pertains to border territories where locals identify with one state more than the other due to the language they speak.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday morning - ahead of the start of the assembly session - hit out at Uddhav Thackeray for failing to find a resolution during his tenure. "Today the Chief Minister will move a resolution (in state assembly) on the border dispute. I hope the resolution will be passed by majority. I'm surprised that those who spoke yesterday did nothing for 2.5 years as the chief minister," the BJP leader was quoted as saying by news agency ANI as he stressed that the " border dispute did not start after our government came to power".

"It started with the creation of Maharashtra and language-based formation of provinces. It's going on for years. We never did politics on this issue and we hope that no one does politics on this. People of border areas should feel that entire Maharashtra is with them," he insisted.

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition Ajit Pawar sought a discussion, involving the opposition, amid sparring with the government. "We will keep our stand and will show that we stand with the people residing in border areas. It will also be important to see whether the central government will support the demand to declare these disputed areas as union territories as the matter is currently in court," he stressed.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah had recently held a meeting with Chief Ministers of both the states on the border issue when he said that a six-member ministerial panel will oversee the discussions.

The Karnataka ass

(With inputs from ANI)