The Shiv Sena on Monday demanded that Maharashtra advocate general Shrihari Aney resign for supporting the idea for a separate Vidarbha state. Sena’s Sanjay Raut expressed the Sena's outrage while pro-Vidarbha groups reportedly backed Aney’s remarks, The Times of India reported. Aney accepted the Sena’s opinion on the issue, but stood by his statement, saying that what he had said was “historically correct”. On Sunday, Aney had asked for a referendum on the issue of a separate state, and said that if 51% of people voted in its favour, a separate state should be made. He also said legislators have the right to raise issues in the assembly even if the chief minister, Devendra Fadnavis, chose to minimise the matter.

Aney reportedly is confident that a majority of people in the region would vote for a separate Vidarbha state, and claims that this is why the Centre is unwilling to look into the issue. Aney has also been criticised by senior Congress leader Sanjay Dutt, who said that Constitutional authorities such as advocate generals could not make such demands.