Maharashtra opposition objects to \'Vibrant Gujarat Summit\' in Mumbai

 Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Wednesday hit out at Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde over the 'Vibrant Gujarat Summit' in Mumbai saying the event was being held to snatch industries in Maharashtra away to Gujarat.

The criticism has come on the backdrop of Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel's visit to Mumbai for an investor road show during the Vibrant Gujarat Summit, which is aimed at attracting investment for his state. Shinde is also going to attend the event.

Commenting on it, Thackeray said sarcastically on X, "The CM of Gujarat is in Mumbai for meetings to woo industries to Gujarat during Vibrant Gujarat and investment. Instead of taking all these efforts, he could have simply called up the illegal CM of Maharashtra and asked him to send more industries to Gujarat from Maharashtra."

The Sena UBT leader read out the names of industries that he claimed were originally supposed to be set up in Maharashtra, but instead later went to the neighbouring state. "Vedanta-Foxconn, bulk drug park, Tata Airbus… Everything has been sent to Gujarat. What else is left?” he asked.

While the chief ministers of other states come to Mumbai regularly for such roadshows (to attract investment), Shinde only visits Delhi for his own selfish reasons, Thackeray said.

Apart from the Shiv Sena (UBT), the other opposition parties in Maharashtra have also slammed the Shinde-led government for the Vibrant Gujarat summit.

State Congress chief Nana Patole said, "Today's ruling authorities are looting Maharashtra and giving it back to Gujarat. The people in the government have openly admitted that they are the agents of Gujarat," Patole said.

Mahesh Tapase, chief spokesperson of the Sharad Pawar-led NCP, accused the Shinde government of being silent as "Gujarat makes renewed attempts to take businesses away from Maharashtra."

As part of the Vibrant Gujarat Sammit, Gujarat chief minister Bhupendra Patel met several business tycoons including Mukesh Ambani, Larsen and Toubro Chairman S.N. Subrahmanyan, Proctor and Gamble MD India and South Asia LV Vaidyanathan and Chairman and Group CEO of United Phosphorus Ltd (UPL) Jaidev Rajnikant Shroff.