Maharashtra Cong President Nana Patole meets Sonia; discusses role as Oppn in state

Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole paid a visit to party's National President Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi on Thursday. In the meeting, Patole apprised Gandhi about the political situation in the state with the fall of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, of which Congress was also a part, and the coming to power of the rebel Shiv Sena Bharatiya Janta Party. In light of the recent development, the state president held a discussion with his national counterpart about its role in the Opposition as well as the future course of action. 

Congress leaders absent during Maharashtra Floor Test 

Also, disciplinary action was mulled over, as 11 Congress MLAs, including former CM Ashok Chavan, cast their vote in the floor test held on July 4. The MVA alliance, which besides Congress comprises Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party, had polled 99 votes against the motion of confidence, as against 164, for it in the 288-member Assembly, leading to the victory of the Eknath Shinde-led government from a massive margin. 

This came days after Shinde was sworn in as the Chief Minister of the state, with Devendra Fadnavis as his Deputy. The CM- Dy CM duo has yet not yet allocated portfolios among the rebel Shiv Sena and BJP MLAs. "Let us breathe properly. It was quite hectic for us (referring to political activities recently in the state). I and Devendra Fadnavis will sit and discuss cabinet portfolios and their allocation. We will also get the allocation vetted from national leaders of the BJP," Shinde had said, after winning the trust vote in the Assembly. 

In the backdrop of the Legislative Council elections, the MLAs of Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde went incommunicado as part of a rebellion against the Sena and the majority of the party MLAs sided with him, which led to the collapse of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government. Uddhav Thackeray resigned as the Chief Minister on June 29.