Maharashtra govt not ready to share LPG situation despite Speaker's directive: NCP (SP) leader

Vartha Bharati | 17-03-2026 | 15:05:00 IST

NCP (SP) legislature party leader Jayant Patil | ANI

Mumbai (PTI): NCP (SP) legislature party leader Jayant Patil on Tuesday alleged the Maharashtra government is not willing to discuss and share information on the "widespread shortage" of LPG cylinders despite directions from the assembly speaker.

He alleged the state and Central governments have "completely failed" in handling the gas crisis, and accused the Mahayuti dispensation of trying to shift blame onto the opposition.

"The government should take the people and all political parties into confidence. There is a widespread shortage of LPG, with long queues seen everywhere. This is not a good situation, and the chief minister should have intervened by now," Patil told reporters on the premises of Vidhan Bhavan.

He added that the government is not prepared to share information on the LPG situation and is not willing to discuss the issue in the assembly.

The former minister said the "double engine" government is shirking its responsibility to resolve the crisis.

Referring to international developments, he said celebrations over ships arriving in the country overlooked the fact that many such shipments were needed daily, and claimed that strained ties with countries like Iran were affecting supplies.

Indian LPG carriers 'Shivalik' and ‘Nanda Devi’ have arrived safely at Mundra and Vadinar ports in Gujarat after safely passing the crucial Strait of Hormuz.

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T20 WC star Samson named ICC Men's Player of the Month for March

14-04-2026 ¦ 14-04-2026 IST

Photo: Sanju Samson (PTI)

Dubai (PTI): India opener Sanju Samson was on Tuesday named ICC Men's Player of the Month for March, capping a stellar run that saw him play a defining role in the team's triumphant T20 World Cup campaign.

Samson did not get to play in the early part of the tournament but was the standout performer in the big games towards the end and helped India retain the title.

His latest honour also extends a unique streak, with players from different countries winning the award over the past five months including South Africa's Simon Harmer, Australia's Mitchell Starc, New Zealand's Daryl Mitchell and Pakistan's Sahibzada Farhan.

"Winning the ICC Player of the Month award is an incredible feeling, especially as it comes during what has been the most unforgettable phase of my cricketing journey. Playing a part in India's triumph at the Men's T20 World Cup was truly a dream realised, and it took some time for the magnitude of that moment to fully sink in," Samson said.

"This is an exciting era for Indian cricket, with immense talent across the board. I feel grateful for the opportunities I've received, and for the trust and support from my team-mates and coaching staff that have allowed me to perform at my best."

Not a regular part of the playing XI in the initial stages of the tournament, Samson was eventually called up for India's must-win Super 8 fixtures. After starting off with 24 against Zimbabwe, he picked form and didn't look back.

The opener missed out on a century against the West Indies by just three runs, but his attacking 97 not out set up India's spot in the semifinal.

A blistering 89 against England at the Wankhede helped India to 253 for 7, and the target proved elusive for the English who missed out by seven runs on March 5.

An equally amazing 89 was churned out during India's successful title defence in Ahmedabad, securing a 96-run win.

In the three crucial T20Is he was a part of in March, Samson notched up 275 runs at an astonishing average of 137.50 and a stunning strike rate of 199.27.

This is the first time that Samson has secured an ICC Men's Player of the Month honour.

New Zealand captain Melie Kerr won the women's honour for the third time, after an outstanding series against Zimbabwe and South Africa.

Taking over the white-ball teams from Sophie Devine, Kerr's captaincy seemed to have brought out the best in her with both the ball and the bat. In the Zimbabwe ODI series, she managed to snap 16 wickets in just three matches, including her career-best figures of 7/34.

Additionally, she also contributed with the bat, being the third highest run-scorer in the ODIs, scoring 140 runs across three games with an average of 46.67 in the counting month.