Mumbai, Jun 4 (TOI): The Shiv Sena on Sunday shared the dais with opposition parties like the Congress, NCP and CPM to protest against the bullet train project.

At a programme organised in Palghar by the Bullet Train Virodhi Janmanch, a forum formed to fight against the high-speed train, all the parties were on a common platform to oppose the project. While Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, who was to attend the meeting, did not make it, Sena MLC Neelam Gore alleged that the project was to enable more investment in Gujarat. She said the 1.10 lakh crore to be spent on the bullet train could be diverted to improve suburban train services and other rail amenities.

Leaders like Jayant Patil of NCP and Jairam Ramesh of the Congress too failed to make it to the meeting.

NCP leader Nawab Malik spoke about strengthening the railway network and said that bullet train could not be a priority. Social activist Ulka Mahajan, convenor of the forum, said that the government had deliberately diluted the law to acquire land from tribals. She added that consent of the gram panchayat is no longer mandatory to acquire tribal land.

Despite opposition to the bullet train from project-affected persons, BJP got sizeable votes from tribal-dominated belts of Dahanu, Vikramgad and Palghar in the bypoll.

Two public meetings on bullet train had been cancelled following protest by tribals.