Mumbai: Farmer leader Raju Shetti and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray have joined forces to counter what they perceive as undue favors granted to the Adani group across Maharashtra. Their collaborative plan involves Shetti leading protests in rural areas, highlighting concerns affecting the agrarian community due to Adani group projects, while Thackeray will support these agitations. Simultaneously, Shiv Sena will organize protests in urban areas against Adani group projects, with Shetti playing a supporting role.
This development gains significance against the backdrop of Shiv Sena’s ongoing protest against the alleged irregularities worth ₹100 crore and undue favors associated with the Dharavi redevelopment project.
“We discussed raising our voice against undue favors given to the Adani group in rural and urban areas and supporting each other in these protests. Thackeray has already raised his voice against the Dharavi redevelopment project. I am going to raise the issue of a spike in farmers’ suicides during the tour of Marathwada (January 15 onwards),” said Shetti, a two-term member of parliament from the Hatkanangale Lok Sabha constituency in Kolhapur district.
Marathwada, known for its soybean producers, has been adversely affected by the central government’s decision to slash import duty on palm oil, allegedly favoring Adani’s oil business. Shetti and Thackeray will also jointly address the issue of Adani group’s hydro power projects in Konkan and Kolhapur, which have raised concerns in these regions.
The meeting between Thackeray and Shetti has stirred speculation in political circles, especially as Shiv Sena had previously suggested Shetti joining the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance and contesting from Hatkanangale. However, Shetti has denied such possibilities, stating that he and his supporters will independently contest from six Lok Sabha constituencies, including Hatkangale, Kolhapur, Sangli, Madha, Parbhani, and Buldhana.
