Congress delegation meets CM Uddhav Thackeray, seeks review of CMP implementation

A DELEGATION of state Congress leaders, led by All India Congress Committee (AICC) secretary H K Patil, met Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday, seeking a review of the implementation of the common minimum programme (CMP) drafted by allies Congress, Shiv Sena and NCP while forming the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance.

The meeting comes in the backdrop of increasing discomfort within the triumvirate alliance over the handling of corruption allegations levelled against Home Minister Anil Deshmukh and statements made by Sena MP Sanjay Raut about NCP chief Sharad Pawar taking over as the head of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) coalition from Congress’ Sonia Gandhi.

“H K Patil met Uddhav Thackeray for the first time. The meeting was held at the official residence of the chief minister and lasted for an hour. It was held in a very cordial manner… we discussed the political situation and the Covid-19 management in the state,” said Revenue Minister and senior Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat.

The delegation told the CM that all decisions should be taken unitedly by the allies, he added.“We told Thackeray that it has been a year-and-a-half now since the MVA government was formed and the implementation of the CMP needs to be reviewed,” said Thorat. State Congress president Nana Patole and PWD Minister Ashok Chavan were also part of the delegation.

Thorat said Congress leaders conveyed to the CM “the feeling of injustice among our ministers and legislators regarding allocation of funds”.

He added that the issue of empowering ministers of state was also discussed.On Friday, Congress ministers had met Patil to discuss the prevailing political situation in the state, including the allegations against Deshmukh.

The leaders had said the image of the MVA government and that of the Congress were getting “unnecessarily” maligned due to the controversy.