Ramdas Athawale The Congress, sooner than later, would withdraw its support from the Maha Vikas Aghadi government causing its fall, Union minister of state for social justice and Republican Party of India president Ramdas Athawale said on Tuesday.
The Union minister, who is touring Maharashtra, added that conflicts within the ruling coalition are increasing, and the Congress wouldn’t continue its support to the Shiv Sena for long.
Addressing mediapersons following his Aurangabad trip, Athawale, said: “The Congress-NCP-Shiv Sena coalition will not complete its full term. The Congress already appears to be disillusioned with the present government as it feels sidelined. They have sharp ideological differences with the Sena.”
The minister cited that Congress interim chief Sonia Gandhi’s reminder to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray about the Common Minimum Programme as the party’s possibility of breaking ties with the Sena-led government. Pledging support to the BJP in all forthcoming local bodies’ elections in the state, Athawale said, “The BJP and the RPI will jointly defeat the Shiv Sena in the 2022 BMC polls.”
On the Enforcement Directorate’s notice to Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut’s wife, Varsha Raut, the Union minister said, “Raut said neither he is afraid of anybody nor can he be intimidated. If that’s the case, he should come forward and answer all questions by ED.”
“NCP president Sharad Pawar is holding talks with various opposition party leaders. He should give concrete suggestions to improve the three agriculture reforms act.” But the demand for rollback will amount to disregarding the parliamentary process and the Constitution, he added.
The Union minister dismissed the possibility of the RPI’s alliance with the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA). “I would urge VBA leader Prakash Ambedkar to join the NDA and work for the welfare of the poor and the backward.”