Uddhav gathers the troops, talks to key MVA leaders
MUMBAI: Against the backdrop of the recent political activities in Maharashtra and with just a few remaining for the fourth phase of the lockdown to end, state chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday held a meeting of key leaders of the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).
Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, revenue minister Balasaheb Thorat, water resources minister Jayant Patil, transport minister Anil Parab and others attended the meeting.
The political scene in the state hot up after a BJP delegation led by former chief minster Devendra Fadnavis recently met state Governor B S Koshyari and complained to him about the “failure” of the government in tackling the Covid-19 crisis.
On Monday, BJP MP Narayan Rane met the governor at the Raj Bhavan and demanded imposition of the President’s Rule for the MVA dispensation’s “failure” in handling the coronavirus situation.
The ruling MVA on Tuesday accused the opposition party of trying to destablise the state government and maintained that the numbers are in its favour. It also said that the government was “strong and stable”.
Fadnavis had later said that the BJP was not interested in forming the government in the state and wanted effective handling of Covid-19 crisis.
Maharashtra has reported the highest number of Covid- 19 cases in the country.
The current lockdown, imposed to contain the spread of Covid-19, is set to end on May 31.
Speaking to media persons on Tuesday, state chief secretary Ajoy Mehta had said that the government will ease down the lockdown “very very gradually and in a calibrated manner”.
The NCP, a key constituent of the MVA, has also been pitching for resuming business activities in a phased manner to bring the state’s economy back on track.
Meanwhile, a day after his comment led to speculations that all was not well within Maharashtra’s ruling coalition, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi spoke with Thackeray over the phone on Wednesday morning. Gandhi had said in a press conference on Tuesday that his party was only playing a supporting role in Maharashtra and it was not a key decision-maker.
Congress leaders later said that Gandhi’s statement was twisted. He told Thackeray that his government was doing a good job to combat the coronavirus pandemic despite the difficulties the state has been facing.
“Rahulji and Uddhavji had a telephonic conversation in the morning and air was cleared over the speculations after former’s statement in the press conference. The Congress leader clarified that his statement was taken out of proportion and the Congress stands in full support of the government,” a Shiv Sena leader said.
Gandhi also explained that he has been categorically stating how important the state is and how it should be given more importance in the fight against Covid-19.