The Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party has decided to put up a united Opposition ahead of the winter session of the state assembly that will be held from December 7 in Nagpur.

Congress-NCP leaders held a joint meeting on Monday to discuss the strategy to corner the BJP-led state government and decide the MLC election seats. The meeting was attended byMaharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president Ashok Chavan, former MPCC president Manikrao Thakre, former Congress chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, the NCP state president Sunil Tatkare, senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal and Opposition leader of legislative council Dhananjay Munde.

Nawab Malik, NCP spokesperson, said that they are hopeful that the Congress and the NCP will be together on several issues. "We are prepared to expose the ruling BJP government's one year of misrule. In the last one year, the number of farmers' suicides has increased in Marathwada and some parts of north Maharashtra have been facing severe drought. The government has no plan to tackle drought and control the number of farmers' suicides. Besides, law and order has been disturbed.

Crime has increased manifold. Interestingly, Nagpur the home town of chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has turned into the crime capital of the state. It is unfortunate, but this is the reality and the sad part is that there are no efforts from the government's side to control crime at all," said Malik.

Malik said that apart from law and order, the prices of pulses have also been shooting up with each passing day. "Dal is being sold at Rs200 per kg. The government raided hoarders and traders' warehouses-- a farce that has not brought down inflation. It is very difficult for the common man to survive," Malik added.

Congress also blamed the BJP for not leading the state in the right direction. Ashok Chavan said that the state is directionless. "No one knows who is doing what? There is complete chaos in the government and there is trust deficit between the administrations and ministers that will cost the state development. As a result, no new industry is coming up in the state. Chief minister may be signing MoU after MoU, but nothing is percolating at the ground-level," said Chavan.

A political observer said that there is so much to cash in on for the opposition against the government, but the divided House of Opposition has benefited the ruling party. "Due the Congress and NCP differences, the Shiv Sena which is ruling is still behaving like an Opposition party and occupying the Opposition space by criticising the government and its policies."