Mumbai: As the number of coronavirus cases refuses to fall, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will chair a meeting with the task force on Sunday, where a decision on state-wide lockdown is likely to be taken. Reports claimed that CM Thackeray is in favour of implementing a complete lockdown in the state to break the chain of the transmission. However, all members of the NCP-Congress-Shiv Sena are not in favour of a total shutdown.

“Lockdown of a few days is necessary and then relaxations can be given. The Chief Minister will hold a meeting with the state Covid task force on Sunday,” Deputy Chief Minister Ashok Chavan told news agency ANI after an all-party meeting tonight.

BJP leader and former Maharashtra CM asserted that the saffron party is not against lockdown but there should be a proper plan before going ahead.

The meeting comes a day after Maharashtra reported 58,993  fresh corona cases. According to the data released by the state health ministry, the state registered 45,391 recoveries and 301 deaths yesterday. With these new numbers, the total cases in the state stand at 32,88,540, active cases at 5,34,603, total recoveries at 26,95,148 and death toll at 57,329.

Following the spike in the cases and fatalities, Maharashtra Disaster Management Minister Vijay Wadettiwar yesterday proposed a complete lockdown in the state. Talking to India Today TV, the minister asserted that all shops and establishments need to be closed to break the chain of the transmission.

“The state is witnessing more than 50,ooo cases every day. If the upsurge continues at same pace, Maharashtra will have more than 10 lakh active cases soon. To avoid such a situation the state must break the chain of transmission by minimising crowding”, India Today quoted the minister as saying. Furthermore, he hoped that the chief minister will agree with his proposal during the meeting, expected to be attended by prominent leaders of the three parties involved in the Mahavikas Aghadi government, leaders of BJP, MNS, API, SP, and others.

Notably, Maharashtra is already under weekend lockdown from Friday evening to Monday 7 AM. Besides, the state is also under a night curfew from 8 pm to 7 am daily when only essential services are allowed to function. Section 144 has also been imposing a ban on gathering of five or more people throughout the day.