MVA allies slam President Rule demand; BJP says not in favour
| Date :27-May-2020 |
MUMBAI,
A DAY after a BJP MP demanded President’s rule in Maharashtra, leaders of the ruling Mahavikas Aghadi (MVA) on Tuesday accused the Opposition party of trying to destablise the State Government. The BJP, on the other hand, denied that it wanted President’s Rule, but said the State Government was not doing enough to contain the coronavirus pandemic. BJP’s Rajya Sabha MP Narayan Rane on Monday met Governor B S Koshyari and demanded President’s rule, accusing the Uddhav Thackeray-led Government of failing to bring the pandemic situation under control.
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut hit back on Tuesday, saying it was the neighbouring BJP-ruled Gujarat that needed President’s Rule. “If you go by the Gujarat High Court’s strictures about tackling of COVID-19 crisis, that State’s performance is worse compared to Maharashtra’s. “If President’s Rule is to be imposed, the Centre should start with Gujarat,” Raut said, while asserting that the Sena-NCP-Congress Government in Maharashtra was stable. BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar distanced his party from Rane’s view. “The situation in Maharashtra is grim, but it does not qualify for President’s rule. We feel the State Government is not serious enough about tackling the situation,” the former State Minister said. Maharashtra has enough resources but the State Government is “not making enough efforts,” he alleged.
NCP leader and Minorities Affairs Minister Nawab Malik accused the BJP of spreading rumours that President’s rule will be imposed in Maharashtra. The State Government was strictly adhering to the Centre’s guidelines on combating COVID-19, he said. Congress leader and Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat said the State BJP leaders were trying to destabilise the Government, but there was no reason to worry about its stability. “BJP leaders in the State are greedy for power. They cannot think of helping the Government in the current situation. They are trying to destabilise the Government,” Thorat told reporters.
CM meets Pawar; Sena says, Mah Govt strong
MUMBAI,
MAHARASHTRA Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray held a meeting with NCP President Sharad Pawar here, senior Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said on Tuesday while asserting that the State Government is “strong”. The two leaders met for about one-and-a-half hours late on Monday evening, Sanjay Raut said while dismissing speculations about the Thackeray-led Government’s stability. The Sena Rajya Sabha MP, however, did not reveal what transpired between the two leaders. The meeting between Thackeray and Pawar took place after the NCP chief met State Governor B S Koshyari on Monday morning. NCP chief Sharad Pawar and Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had a meeting for one-and-a-half hours.
Those doubting about the stability of this Government are doing so out of their own grudge. This Government is strong,” Raut tweeted in Marathi. Earlier, Pawar met Koshyari on Monday morning, following which the NCP claimed the meeting took place on the invitation of the Governor and no political issues came up for discussion.
However, the timing of the meeting is significant as it took place against the backdrop of strained relations between the Shiv Sena, which heads the Mahavikas Aghadi (MVA) Government, and the Raj Bhawan. The NCP is one of the key constituents of MVA. Pawar was one of the key leaders from Maharashtra who had openly complained about Koshyari’s “intervention” in the functioning of the State administration. Recently, senior BJP leader and former State Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis complained to the Governor about the “failure” of the Thackeray Government in handling the COVID-19 crisis.
Show strong leadership to tackle COVID-19: Fadnavis to Mah CM
MUMBAI,
May 26 (PTI)
SENIOR BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday asked Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to show “assertive leadership” amidst the coronavirus pandemic. Maharashtra has reported the highest number of COVID- 19 cases in the country. Addressing a press conference, the Opposition leader said Thackeray needed support of other constituents (read the NCP and the Congress) of the Shiv Sena-led Government whose only focus should be fighting against the coronavirus “without any vested interests”. “Currently there is no coordination in the State Government. Ministers of the Congress are not being invited for the meetings held by the Shiv Sena and the NCP,” Fadnavis claimed. Responding to a question on allegations that Raj Bhawan has become a centre of politics, Fadnavis said he had the right to submit a memorandum to the Governor by virtue of being the Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly.
“When there is no access to the Chief Minister and when things do not get resolved where do we go?” he asked. Fadnavis was apparently referring to his meeting with Governor B S Koshyari at Raj Bhawan recently when he had submitted a memorandum complaining about the State Government’s “failure” in handling the COVID-19 crisis.
The Sena had taken objection to the meeting and accused the BJP, without taking its name, of plotting to destabilise the State Government. Meanwhile, Fadnavis asked the MVA Government to take the Opposition into confidence in its fight against coronavirus pandemic. “When we make constructive suggestions, we get trolled on social media. You (ruling parties) indulge in politics and blame us,” the former CM told reporters. Attacking the Government over its handling of the crisis, Fadnavis said, “People are not getting ambulances.
The number of beds in hospitals are insufficient. Private hospitals are charging exorbitant rates from the people. The Government seems to have lost its control on administration”. Fadnavis said Maharashtra can get Rs 78,000 crore from the Centre’s Rs 20 lakh crore “Atmanirbhar” economic package. “The Centre has already given Rs 28,104 crores to Maharashtra for its fight against the coronavirus pandemic. The share for the State in the Central package is Rs 1.65 lakh crore. The Government should take bold steps to help the affected people,” he said.