PM lauded MVA on its fight against Covid: CMO
MUMBAI: Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi on Saturday spoke to Maharashtra chief minister (CM) Uddhav Thackeray over phone to take stock of the Covid-19 situation in the state and reportedly appreciated the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government’s efforts in combating the second wave of the pandemic. Many eyebrows in political circles were raised following the development in the backdrop of the frequent clashes between the state and Centre and also leaders from both the sides over Covid management.
According to the statement issued by the chief minister’s office (CMO), PM Modi lauded MVA for its handling of the second wave. “PM took information from CM about the steps being taken by the government for the management of Covid-19. CM apprised PM about the measures planned by the state in anticipation of a potential third wave of the pandemic,” the statement read. Thackeray also requested PM Modi for additional allotment of oxygen for Maharashtra amid the shortage.
“PM Modi and the Centre have been guiding Maharashtra in its fight against the virus since beginning and it has proven beneficial too. Expressing his gratitude for it, the CM also thanked Modi for accepting some of the recommendations the Maharashtra government made,” the statement read.
Modi’s gesture of praising Maharashtra has surprised many in the political circles amid the frequent war of words between the Central and state governments over supply of Covid-related aid. The recent clashes between Union ministers Harsh Vardhan and Prakash Javadekar and state health minister Rajesh Tope and others over vaccine supply had triggered a controversy. Tope and other MVA leaders have also been targeting the Centre for the alleged discrimination over the supply of oxygen to the state.
Maharashtra Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, including leaders of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis and Pravin Darekar, have been continuously targeting the state government over its handling of the pandemic. They had alleged corruption in the setting up jumbo Covid centres and had targeted MVA government for its failure in constructing adequate facilities ahead of the second wave. Thackeray, on two earlier occasions, had complained to PM about state BJP leaders politicising the issue of pandemic.
A Congress leader, while expressing his surprise to the development, said, “But what else is left with him [Modi], considering that Bjp-led state governments’ failure in combating the pandemic. We’ve been very transparent in terms of cases and deaths unlike other states.”
Political analyst Prakash Akolkar said by praising Thackeray, Modi has indirectly taken a potshot at Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal. “Delhi and Mumbai, the political and financial capitals, are always compared with each other. By praising Thackeray, Modi has taken a dig at Kejriwal. Also in a way, he has slammed Fadnavis and Darekar who keep targeting the Thackeray government on every Covid-related issue. I also feel that on a personal level, Modi and Thackeray share cordial relations and seldom attack each other,” he said.
Meanwhile, Thackeray also wrote to the PM seeking permission to develop a separate app for vaccination to avoid the malfunctioning of CO-WIN. He said the Centre can also develop dedicated CO-WIN apps for each state to avoid glitches. The CM has also requested Modi to design a medical framework by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) under which the Food and Drugs Administration of the respective states can procure vaccines from abroad.