The proposed oil refinery at Nanar in ecologically sensitive Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra has emerged as the latest battleground between the Shiv Sena and the BJP in the state.
The Nanar project, a joint venture between oil giant Saudi ARAMCO and consortium of Indian oil companies comprising IOC, BPCL and HPCL, is likely to bring investment of up to Rs 1 lakh crore and create one lakh jobs. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between ARAMCO and Indian consortium on Thursday.
Shiv Sena, however, is firmly opposed to the project. So is Narayan Rane, the Shiv Sena-turned-Congressman-turned-BJP ally, who was recently elected to the Rajya Sabha on BJP ticket.
The ties between the Shiv Sena and the BJP are appearing to reach a new low as the former's president Uddhav Thackeray criticised chief minister Devendra Fadnavis in the harshest words, terming him a “spineless traitor”.
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Uddhav Thackeray is away in Japan, but his statement was issued by Shiv Sena state unit.
Devendra Fadnavis had assured us that the project would not be thrust on people of Konkan against their wishes. He has, however, gone back on his words as the Center is firm on thrusting the project on people of Konkan, said Thackeray in his statement.
Upon its completion, the Rs 3-lakh crore Nanar refinery project will be world's largest single location oil and petroleum products complex with an annual capacity of 60 million tonnes.
The Shiv Sena is also opposed to Jaitapur Nuclear power project. Nanar thus becomes second project in Konkan region over which the two allies have crossed swords.
In his statement, Uddhav Thackeray said he expected the chief minister to convey firmly to the Centre that people are opposed to this project and hence, it should be shifted elsewhere. However, Devendra Fadnavis has surrendered and has emerged as a spineless traitor, the strongly-worded statement said.