Oppn VP candidate Margaret Alva slams Maharashtra guv over Mumbai remarks

Opposition's vice-presidential candidate Margaret Alva hit out at Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari on Saturday over his remarks that "Mumbai will have no money" if Gujaratis and Rajasthanis were to leave the city, saying making "foolish" comments gets rewarded in the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Alva also attacked her opponent in the August 6 vice-presidential poll, former West Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankhar, who she alleged has been rewarded for acting like an "extra-constitutional authority".

"The comments by the Governor of Maharashtra are unfortunate, but not unexpected. The message he's received from the ex Governor of West Bengal's candidature for VP is: controversy, foolish comments and operating like an extra constitutional authority, is behaviour that gets rewarded," she wrote on Twitter.

Koshyari's comments that "Mumbai will have no money" if Gujaratis and Rajasthanis were to leave the city triggered a massive controversy on Saturday, forcing Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to say that he disagrees with the governor.

As Opposition leaders slammed Koshyari and sought an apology from him, the Maharashtra governor said his comments were misconstrued.