MVA allies not on same page on drive
Minister targets Centre on quota, CM says avoid politics
Differences within the MVA government in Maharashtra came to fore over the Covid vaccination drive in the state. While state health minister Rajesh Tope said the Centre has provided inadequate supply of vaccines to Maharashtra, chief minister Uddhav Thackeray said there should not be any politics over the vaccine.
Mr Thackeray kickstarted the Covid vaccination drive at the BKC centre on Saturday. While speaking on the occasion, he allayed the talks of Maharashtra receiving step-motherly treatment from the Centre in the supply of Covid vaccine.
“The quota of Covid vaccine has been fixed by the Central health department, so it is not right to doubt their intention. Just as all people in Maharashtra are equal to me as a chief minister, it should be the same for the Prime Minister,” he quipped.
Mr Thackeray expressed confidence that the supply of vaccines will increase after the rise in its production. The vaccines of couple of other companies are in the final stage. Once they are approved, the supply will increase, he added.
However, Mr Tope reiterated that Maharashtra has received less number of vaccines from the Centre. He said, “Maharashtra needs nearly 17.5 lakh doses of vaccines including the buffer stock. Of them, we have received only 9.72 lakh doses. It means the Centre has supplies only 55 per cent of stock.”
On the first day of the vaccination drive, 28,500 people were inoculated in Maharashtra.