A meeting called by Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray with alliance partners is underway at the Varsha Bungalow, the official residence of the CM in Mumbai, amid lingering speculation about tensions in the state government and questions about its stability, ANI reported on Wednesday, 27 May.
The speculation had gained traction as Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad Pawar held a meeting with state governor, BS Koshiyari, on Monday, followed by another meeting with CM Thackeray in the evening.
However, on Tuesday, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut had sought to refute the speculations, saying on Twitter, "Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray met at Matoshree last evening. They spoke for one-and-a-half hours. If anybody is spreading misinformation about the stability of the government, it's nothing but their stomach ache. The government is strong. No worries."
Like Raut, NCP leader Nawab Malik also sought to offer assurance about the stability of the state government, saying it will complete its term.
However, amid allegations of mishandling the COVID-19 crisis in Maharashtra – which has recorded the highest number of cases in the country – by Opposition leaders, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said they are "supporting the government in Maharashtra, but we are not the key decision-makers".
"I would like to make a differentiation here, we are supporting the government in Maharashtra, but we are not the key decision-makers in Maharashtra. We are the key decision-makers in Punjab, in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Puducherry. So, there is a difference between running a government and supporting a government," Gandhi was quoted as saying by IANS.
The Congress party, along with the NCP and Shiv Sena, is part of the "Maha Vikas Aghadi" government in the state.
According to NDTV, there has been speculation about tensions in the government over the coronavirus outbreak and lockdown plan, with Pawar calling for opening up of Maharashtra gradually.
On Monday, BJP MP Narayan Rane also met the state governor and demanded the imposition of President's Rule, raising the state government's "failure" in dealing with the coronavirus outbreak, saying the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress coalition has messed up the administrative affairs at a time of unprecedented crisis, PTI reported.
(With inputs from PTI, ANI, IANS and NDTV.)
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