Shiv Sena takes swipe at MNS over ''shadow cabinet''
Mumbai: The Shiv Sena on Wednesday took at dig at the 'shadow cabinet' set up by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, saying the "chief minister's post" in the new formation is lying vacant.
In sarcastic remarks, an editorial in Shiv Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' also said it would have been good if there was a "shadow governor" for the swearing-in of the shadow cabinet.
To keep an eye on the state government, a party which has one MLA in the Assembly has formed a 'shadow cabinet', it said without naming the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS).
The "post of chief minister" in the shadow cabinet is vacant, it said while taunting the MNS.
"There should have been a shadow governor to administer the oath of office and secrecy to the shadow cabinet. If this had happened, the game of shadows would have been more colorful. The developments show there is still humour left in politics," the Shiv Sena said.
It also took a jibe at the BJP, saying even though the saffron party is now in the opposition in Maharashtra, it "still behaves as if it is the ruling party".
"There are norms who should form such a (shadow) cabinet. The single largest opposition party should form a shadow cabinet. Maharashtra is a large state and the BJP is the main opposition party," the Sena said.
In a democracy, the opposition should be at par with the ruling party. But there is lack of knowledge among politicians about the position and functions of an opposition party, it said.
In India, there is no leader of opposition (in the Lok Sabha) and in Maharashtra, the opposition party "behaves as if it is still ruling", the Marathi daily quipped.
In countries like the UK, Australia, Canada and New Zealand, the leader of opposition is at par with the prime minister, and is an "alternate prime minister", the Sena said.
In Britain, the opposition party is very important since 1955 because of the 'shadow cabinet' and the post of opposition spokesman, it added.
The MNS on Monday announced a 'shadow cabinet' for Maharashtra, giving the 'tourism portfolio' to party chief's son Amit Thackeray, thereby pitting him against state Tourism Minister and cousin Aaditya Thackeray.
Amit Thackeray was also named as the shadow minister for 'law and judiciary', a portfolio held by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.
The shadow cabinet, a legacy of British parliamentary politics, comprises a team of senior spokespersons chosen by the leader of opposition to mirror the cabinet in government.
The MNS was established in 2006 after Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray anointed his youngest son Uddhav Thackeray as the executive president, sidelining nephew Raj Thackeray.
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No unannounced load shedding in Kerala, outages due to overload, says Minister
Palakkad (PTI): Kerala Electricity Minister K Krishnankutty on Saturday said there was no unannounced load shedding in the state, attributing recent power interruptions to temporary overload caused by high consumption.
Clarifying concerns raised from various parts of the state, the minister said the disruptions are not deliberate but occur when demand peaks, particularly between 10 pm and 11 pm.
"It is not being done intentionally. Power consumption has risen sharply, and when there is excessive and indiscriminate usage, the system experiences overload, leading to natural supply interruptions," he told reporters here.
His remarks come amid complaints that several areas have been witnessing frequent power cuts, often lasting around 15 minutes and occurring multiple times during the night.
Krishnankutty said the state's power demand has crossed 6,195 MW, putting pressure on the supply system. He added that around 70 per cent of Kerala's electricity is procured from outside, and existing power banking arrangements have been exhausted.
"We have approached the Regulatory Commission seeking permission to purchase more power. However, this will come at a higher cost," he said.
The minister said the government is trying to avoid increasing electricity tariffs and urged consumers to exercise restraint in usage to help manage the situation.
Responding to opposition criticism over the ruling LDF's earlier claims of a decade without power cuts, he said the current situation is not unique to Kerala.
A power crisis is emerging across the country, he said, and sarcastically asked the Opposition to take note of the role of natural factors in this.
Krishnankutty expressed confidence that the situation would improve within two days, while cautioning that long-term energy security would depend on enhancing in-state power generation.
He also warned that future generations could face serious challenges if adequate electricity production capacity is not developed within Kerala.
