Ajit Pawar: Mumbai belongs to Maharashtra; K'taka minister's statement has no basis

With the Maharashtra-Karnataka boundary dispute snowballing into a war-of-words, deputy chief minister and senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar said that the Centre should intervene in the matter.

"There is no question of Karnataka claiming Mumbai. Mumbai belonged to Maharashtra, is and will remain so," said Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. 
Condemning the Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray accusation that Karnataka deliberately changed the name of Belagavi district to 'Belgaum', Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister Lakshman Savadi on Wednesday demanded that Mumbai be included as a part of the Karnataka.

While talking to the media Pawar said, Karnataka minister must have made this statement to please his people, there is no question of Karnataka claiming Mumbai. His statement has no basis."

"Maharashtra-Karnataka border issue has been going on for many years. There were Marathi speaking MLAs and mayors in Belgaum. The majority of the people there also want to come to Maharashtra. “The name of Belgaum was changed to Belagavi...which was then made the second capital...a Vidhana Soudha was built and then a legislature session was held,” Pawar said. “The Centre needs to take an impartial view of the issue,” he added.

“When two states are at dispute, the Centre should intervene,” Pawar, the nephew of NCP supremo Sharad Pawar. Pawar reiterated on Thursday what Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had stated earlier.