Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray.
FEELING “sidelined” in the state government’s decision-making process, some leaders of the Congress, which is part of the three-party ruling alliance Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), has decided to meet Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday. During the meeting, among other key issues, the leaders will also discuss nominations for state legislative council polls.
Admitting that there are differences within the ruling alliance, State Congress president Balasaheb Thorat said,”When three brothers in a family can have differences among them, why can’t three parties have differences?”
Thorat and senior party leader Ashok Chavan, who is also the state PWD minister, will meet the chief minister on Monday.
Congress spokesperson Gopal Tiwari said the Congress has not been sidelined, but the party is seeking an effective channel of communication within the MVA. “The meeting will be held to discuss a number of issues. Among them is establishment of an effective channel of communication within the MVA fold,” Tiwari told The Indian Express.
“We have a 33 per cent stake in the government and we had joined hands with the other two parties with a clear understanding. Congress has an identity… we have charted out a common minimum programme as per which the government is supposed to run,” he said.
Some Congress leaders pointed out that while Thackeray holds regular discussions with NCP chief Sharad Pawar, and takes key decisions after their meeting, the Congress is feeling left out. “Such a discussion has not been held with senior Congress leaders… the party has decided to assert itself and is seeking an effective role,” said a senior leader.
Meanwhile, the party has also decided to seek its share in the state legislative council, where 12-governor nominated seats will fall vacant on June 15. The Congress is pushing for an equal share, or might even seek an extra seat as it had withdrawn its candidate last time so that the CM could be elected unopposed, said party leaders.
As many as 146 party leaders have applied to the Congress high command, seeking nomination to the legislative council elections. Congress leader Sachin Sawant said,”The governor will nominate the members on the recommendations of the council of ministers. Once the cabinet takes a decision, it will be forwarded to the governor…”.
Sawant, former Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee chief Manikrao Thakre, Youth Congress chief Satyajit Tambe and Pune leader Mohan Joshi are reportedly among the aspirants for a seat in the legislative council.
Joshi, however, said,”I contested the Lok Sabha elections last year. I am not keen on council polls.”
The NCP has so far received 50 applications. The aspirants include Vilas Lande from Bhosari and Rupali Chakankar from Pune. NCP has already offered one seat to its ally Swabhimani Paksha.
Swabhimani Paksha chief Raju Shetti said, “During the Lok Sabha elections, my party had sought three seats but we were given only one seat. To compensate, NCP chief Sharad Pawar had promised to offer us a seat in the legislative council. A month ago, I reminded the NCP chief of his promise. Two days ago, state NCP chief Jayant Patil told me that the party will back me. We are happy with the move.”
Chakankar, chief of the state women’s wing of the party, said,”There is a tradition in the party that all women state chiefs of the party have been nominated to the legislative council. This has been happening since 1999 and I sure the party will continue with the tradition and nominate me…”.
Chakankar said if she makes it to the council, it will give her an opportunity to raise women’s issues more effectively.
Vilas Lande, a former MLA, said he had applied to the party about 10 days ago. “I had withdrawn from the Lok Sabha election race last year in favour of the party-nominated candidate. I had prepared hard for the LS polls but the party requested me to withdraw…the party had promised to given me another opportunity. Therefore, I am looking for a council nomination. It is up to the party to take a call,” he said.