In a fresh controversy, the organisers of the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan have withdrawn their invite to author Nayantara Sahgal to inaugurate the annual Marathi literary meet to be held at Yavatmal this month. While farmer groups and the Raj Thackeray-led MNS had opposed the invite, Sahgal attributed the cancellation to CM Devendra Fadnavis' presence at the event.

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"Due to some unavoidable circumstances we regret that we are unable to fulfil our own commitment and are very sorry to intimate you that our invitation be treated as cancelled," said a letter dated Saturday addressed to Sahgal and signed by Ramakant Kolte, the working president of the Sammelan.

"It is a BJP (ruled) state, perhaps the chief minister may not have liked my speech," said Sahgal, while speaking to a Marathi news channel. Raju Umbarkar, vice-president of the Sammelan said, "We were not opposing Sahgal. Our stance was that a Marathi littérateur inaugurate the meet."

Shripad Joshi, president of the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Mahamandal, said the decision was taken by the local organisers after a threat was issued to disrupt the meet.