A delegation of the Maharashtra Congress on Saturday met Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and urged him to set up a coordination committee with two leaders from each of the three parties — Shiv Sena, Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) — to ensure implementation of the common minimum programme (CMP) decided while forming the tripartite Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.
Congress ministers from the State Cabinet held a review meeting chaired by party in-charge H.K. Patil on Friday where from the government’s performance in Maharashtra to sensitive political issues were discussed. Several ministers raised objections to Sena leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut’s comments on making NCP chief Sharad Pawar head of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA). While the party had openly slammed Mr. Raut, ministers at the review meeting demanded that the party’s discontent be conveyed to Mr. Thackeray.
Mr. Patil, along with State Congress president Nana Patole, Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat, and Public Works Department Minister Ashok Chavan met Mr. Thackeray where these issues were discussed.
A source familiar with the meeting said that a discussion on the State’s political situation was held where Mr. Patil conveyed to the CM the party’s discontent over the comments by Sena leaders on internal matters of the Congress as well as the UPA, especially Congress president Sonia Gandhi. Among other grievances, the party raised the issue of non-availability of funds to the departments of Congress ministers.
“Lack of funds is a major problem faced by our ministers and many believe that their demands are being sidelined. We did take up this issue with Mr. Thackeray,” the source said.
According to the source, the Congress also raised the issue of CMP and the need to periodically review its implementation. “It was decided that a coordination committee to review the CMP would be formed. Two leaders from each of the three parties will be part of it,” the leader said.
Earlier, Mr. Patole came down on Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis asking him to provide details on the financial aid given to the State by the Centre. He was replying to Mr. Fadnavis’s remarks about how relief packages were given in different countries and comparing Maharashtra with them.
“Mr. Fadnavis is talking about how foreign countries are giving relief packages to their people. What has Prime Minister Narendra Modi done for Maharashtra? The State is not even getting its rightful share of GST compensation from the Centre. He should first ask questions to his bosses in Delhi and then point finger at the State leadership,” Mr. Patole said.
