Shivraj Singh Chouhan targets Navneet Rana for ‘stalling’ Melghat development

AMRAVATI: Senior BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan, former chief minister of Madhya Pradesh (MP), indirectly targeted Navneet Rana, an independent candidate backed by NCP-Congress, saying that tribals from

Melghat

are being misguided on Tapi river irrigation project. Chouhan on Saturday campaigned for Shiv Sena candidate

Anand Adsul

in

Dharni

tehsil in the tribal area which shares its border with MP.



Though living on the Maharashtra side, tribals from Melghat have a social connect with MP which also has a population of Korku tribes. The Korkus are more culturally inclined to MP as they understand

Hindi

better than Marathi.

Like Adsul, Rana too is focusing on Melghat votes with her camp making attempts to strengthen its base in the area. Rana camp has been opposing the dam claiming that the project will displace tribals.

A number of agitations had been organized recently under the leadership of her husband Ravi Rana and Rajkumar Patel, former NCP MLA from Melghat. This has stalled work on the project.

Chouhan said the project will change the face of Melghat as locals will be getting irrigation facility, thus transforming their lives. “However, certain elements are trying to mislead them,” he said and added that Congress has been using the tribals as a vote bank and neglecting their development.

The former MP chief minister said BJP has ensured power supply in all villages of Melghat by setting up an independent power substation. “Other facilities to boost tourism like skywalk and tiger project have been developed apart from setting up of skill development centres for the locals,” he said.

“Four-lane roads are being planned to connect Amravati to Dharni and with Madhya Pradesh. However, the Narendra Modi regime should get one more term so that pending projects can be completed,” said Chouhan.

He said only the Narendra Modi and Devendra Fadnavis governments in the Centre and the state are committed to development of Melghat.

On April 16, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackrey will be addressing a rally in Amravati city. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will be holding rallies at Paratwada and Tiwsa on April 14.