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Former Maharashtra minister and Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray leader Aaditya Thackeray on Monday claimed nearly '50 people', including 'some middlemen' and personal assistants, will be part of the delegation that will travel with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde for the World Economic Forum (WEF) gathering in Davos, Switzerland.
Shinde's office disputed Thackeray's claim on the composition and strength of the delegation for the WEF 2024 in Davos, where hundreds of world leaders, business heads, academics and investors are converging for their annual gathering from January 15 to 19.
Speaking to reporters in Mumbai, Thackeray sought to know if the foreign ministry has cleared the visit of the delegation for the WEF congregation.
"The unconstitutional chief minister of Maharashtra (Shinde) is visiting Davos with 50 delegates. As per my information, the Ministry for External Affairs has to clear the names of delegates visiting such investment events," he said.
Thackeray took potshots at Shinde, who will attend the gathering on Tuesday, over his visit to the Swiss town and referred to the latter's rebellion in June 2022 when he flew to Guwahati with Shiv Sena MLAs supporting him.
"There are some sitting Lok Sabha members as well as former parliamentarians (in the delegation). Those who could not go to Guwahati (with Shinde during his rebellion) are now being taken to Davos as compensation," he said sarcastically.
The MLA from Worli in Mumbai wondered whether taxpayers' money would be used on such trips by officials who have no business to be there.
"The World Economic Forum's meeting in Davos needs just 5 to 6 people, including the chief minister. Why do so many people are being taken there. As per my information, there are some middlemen as well as officers on special duty and personal assistants who are visiting Davos. Is it not illegal and unethical?" he asked.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister's Office issued a statement on Monday, saying, 'Ten people, including CM Shinde, Industries Minister Uday Samant, top officials from the industries department, Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) and CMO, will visit Davos.'
'Another delegation of eight officials from MMRDA (Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority) and Mahatma Phule Renewable Energy and Infrastructure Technology Ltd will participate separately. All have obtained required clearances from the ministries concerned,' said the statement.
Shinde had visited Davos in 2023, too, where memorandums of understanding (MoUs) envisaging investments worth Rs 1.37 lakh crore in the state were signed, of which 76 per cent have actually materialised. This year, MoUs worth Rs 3.10 lakh crore will be inked, which will be a record in itself, it said.
Companies that would be setting up their plants in the state will not be restricted to the Mumbai-Pune industrial belt, but will go beyond it in districts like Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Gadchiroli, Nagpur, Chandrapur, Jalna and Raigad, the statement added.
The WEF is an international organization for public-private cooperation that engages the foremost political, business, cultural and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas.