Congress ministers vent anger to Uddhav Thackeray, want Sanjay Raut 'gagged'

HK Patil and Uddhav Thackeray

A day after complaining against the lack of coordination in the Maha Vikas Aghadi, and unwarranted statements made about their party high command, Congress leaders met Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday, under the stewardship of state affairs in-charge, HK Patil.

Patil said the Congress delegation discussed with Thackeray the matters and views the ministers expressed on Friday. Sources said the ministers had expressed their ire to Patil over Shiv Sena chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut's repeated suggestions that Sharad Pawar, (president of Nationalist Congress Party), should replace Sonia Gandhi as the chairperson of the United Progressive Alliance. They felt that Thackeray should gag Raut because unwarranted statements would unnecessarily create bad blood between the allies that are running the government in a tense situation, compounded by an exponential spike in the COVID-19 cases.

In the past, Raut and state Congress president Nana Patole have exchanged barbs over the former's comments. Patole said a non-UPA party like Shiv Sena shouldn't speak on UPA matters. Raut said he never asked for Pawar to replace Gandhi, but wanted the UPA made stronger for fighting the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Congress' national general secretary said that the party wanted the government to review the common minimum programme (CMP) that was decided when the MVA was formed. "We discussed the implementation of CMP and partiality in allocation of funds. We also discussed the current political situation and pandemic," said Patil.

He said the Congress has raised certain objections over disparity in allocation of funds that are used for development and welfare schemes by the government and elected representatives. "All three parties should sit together to review CMP. The review committee should have two leaders each from the constituents," he said. Patole, ex-CM Ashok Chavan and revenue minister Balasaheb Thorat accompanied Patil.

Last December, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi had asked Thackeray to implement the CMP, especially for the scheduled castes/scheduled tribes (SC/ST), in letter and spirit. Gandhi said that she had been receiving suggestions from the state Congress leaders in connection with the policies and programmes for the welfare of the Dalits and Adivasis. She said it was a very important commitment made in the CMP and asked the budget allocation to the SC/ST communities be made in proportion to their share in the population.

Incidentally, Gandhi's letter had come in the wake of the talks that the Congress was losing ground and speculation that the party might even lose the UPA leadership. Sources said the senior Congress leaders in Delhi were likely to ask for a meeting with Thackeray and NCP's senior representatives. Another meeting will be held at the state level.