A day after MNS chief Raj Thackeray endorsed BJP’s PM nominee Narendra Modi and announced his party’s decision to contest Lok Sabha polls, Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan today said MNS entered the electoral fray because its political survival is at stake.

“It’s a question of their (MNS’) survival, because of which they had to take the decision on contesting Lok Sabha polls,” Chavan told reporters.

Raj Thackeray yesterday announced MNS’ support for the BJP’s PM nominee and also released first list of party candidates for Lok Sabha polls.

“It would have been surprising had MNS not contested Lok Sabha elections,” Chavan said.
When asked if Raj Thackeray’s move would benefit ruling Congress-NCP combine alike in 2009, Chavan refused to comment.

Political circles are abuzz with speculation whether MNS’ entry into the poll fray will ensure the 2009 encore when the then fledgling outfit ate into Shiv Sena-BJP combine’s votes in six parliamentary constituencies of Mumbai and at other seats as well, largely benefiting Congress and NCP.

State unit Congress president Manikrao Thakre snubbed Raj, saying “both Shiv Sena and MNS are same.
Their ideologies do not differ from each other. We are stronger in Maharashtra and will remain number one here”.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) rejected the offer of Prakash Ambedkar-led Maharashtra Democratic Front (MDF) for a potential alliance.

The MDF had sent a letter to AAP on March 6 regarding the alliance.

AAP communicated to Ambedkar that its policy at the national level is against entering into alliance or understanding with any party.

“AAP is of the view that Sena-BJP, Congress-NCP and MNS need to be opposed. AAP has completed the process of announcement of its candidates for the Lok Sabha polls. But, it is possible that the party could decide not to contest the Akola seat,” AAP said in its reply, a copy of which was made available to the media.

Meanwhile, MPCC president Manikrao Thakre said that Congress has offered Akola to Ambedkar, to which he is yet to respond.

“We have written to Ambedkar offering him the Akola constituency with our support and are awaiting his response,” he added.

Three crew members of a merchant ship have been airlifted by the Mumbai coast guard for medical treatment. The three crew members had been on a hunger strike after the vessel was abandoned by its owner.

The ship has remained anchored off the Mumbai coast since January 2014 and the crew have not been paid their dues since September2013.

The three crew members went on a hunger strike in protest, following which the Coast Guard was called in on Monday after their condition became critical.

Heavy rain accompanied by hailstorms in 28 districts of Maharashtra claimed the lives of at least 12 people and caused widespread damage to crops, affecting nearly five million farmers, officials said Monday.

Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan spoke to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the Election Commission to apprise them of the situation, and said the government will ensure aid to the farmers while taking care not to violate the model code of conduct.

Large areas of Baramati, Nagpur and Pune were hit by rain even Monday.

“In the past 10 days or so, around 800,000 hectares spread across 28 districts in the state were hit by either heavy rain or severe hailstorms,” Agriculture Commissioner Umakant Dangat said.

The damage included around 50,000 hectares of fruit crops, including grapes, oranges, bananas and pomegranates. The crop of wheat, jowar and grams has been virtually razed while the cotton crop has also been affected, he said.

The hail carpeted fields, farms and highways in Beed, Latur, Nashik, Dhule, Satara, Pune, Nagpur and other places.

Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, who toured some of the worst-hit regions Monday, announced that the affected farmers shall be given aid and compensation on priority.

“A central team will arrive here Thursday to assess the damage and losses suffered by the farmers. It will submit its report and later announce necessary relief measures,” Pawar said.

The chief minister will go on a two-day tour starting Tuesday to some of the worst affected regions of Marathwada and Vidarbha.

“We shall ensure aid to the farmers while taking care not to violate the Election Commission’s model code of conduct which is now in force,” Chavan told media persons.

The Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti has also written to the Election Commission urging postponement of the polls in the state by a fortnight to enable payment of compensation to the farmers.

The heavy rain has also killed thousands of cattle, goats, fowl, wild birds and other smaller creatures.

A local court on Monday rejected the bail applications of five persons, including civic officials, arrested for the last year’s building collapse in Shil-Phata in which 74 people were killed.

Of the 24 persons arrested for the tragedy, seven are out on bail. The accused included civic officials, builders, a Corporator, middlemen, contractors and a policeman.

Opposing the bail pleas before Sessions Judge M C Khadke, Special Public Prosecutor Shishir Hiray said charges levelled against the five accused were serious and they should not be granted any relief at this stage.

“They don’t deserve bail. They deserve to be in jail,” he said.

The Judge accepted the prosecution submission and rejected the bail applications of Ramesh Inamdar, Babasaheb Andale, Subash Rawal, Kisan Madke (all civic officials of different ranks) and Mohmad Isa Abdul Kuttus Chowdhari, a realty developer.

On April 4, a seven-storey building collapsed at Shil- Phata area near Mumbra township of Thane district. Over 60 people were injured in the incident.

The Bombay High Court said it would go through the case diaries pertaining to the murder of Navi Mumbai builder Sunil Loharia in order to decide whether the probe should be handed over to CBI.

The observation was made by a bench headed by Justice P V Hardas, which was hearing a PIL filed by activist Ketan Tirodkar for handing over the probe to CBI alleging that the accused were being shielded by police.

The Mumbai Crime branch, which is probing the case, had earlier handed over the case diaries in a sealed cover to the court. Police had also produced the call data records of purported telephonic talks between Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner A K Sharma and absconding accused Anurag Garg.

The petitioner alleged that there was evidence with the investigating authorities to show that Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner and a senior police inspector were in touch with the accused before and after Loharia’s murder in February 2013.

The petitioner alleged that rival builder Suresh Bijlani and architect Anurag Garg, both accused in the case, were spotted by Loharia’s son in the police station, where he had gone to lodge a complaint. Bijlani has since been arrested, while Garg is still absconding.

The probe was earlier being done by Navi Mumbai police, but later the case was transferred to Mumbai Crime Branch.

Loharia was shot dead outside his Navi Mumbai office on February 16 last year.