2012 yearender: The year Maharashtra lost Bal Thackeray, Vilasrao Deshmukh
extended his support to the “just” cause of sugarcane growers in Maharashtra, led by Independent MP Raju Shetty. He also alleged that Shiv Sena MLA Suresh Jain, who was arrested in connection with the Jalgaon Housing scam, was getting “five star treatment” while in hospital.
At a joint press conference in October, Hazare and former Army chief Gen V K Singh targeted the UPA government over decisions like FDI in multi-brand retail and sought immediate dissolution of Parliament, saying the two pillars of democracy were not acting in the manner enshrined in the Constitution.
Arvind Kejriwal also joined Shetty for a farmers rally in Sangli. The Aam Aadmi Party pledged to work for fair pricing of farm produce and opposed “suppression” of farmers protests. Two farmers were killed on November 12 during the protest for fair sugarcane pricing.
As the year drew to a close, senior Shiv Sena leader Manohar Joshi indicated the shape of things to come by inviting NCP president Sharad Pawar to join NDA, saying, “He would be able to end quarrels within the BJP-led alliance and could also become PM.”
