Rahul Gandhi attempts damage control; dials CM Uddhav and says 'Congress with Maharashtra'

A day after his sensational statement that Congress party is not a decision-maker in the Maha Vikas Aghadi government of Maharashtra, former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi has now spoken to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray over the phone. As per sources, he has called CM Uddhav and told him that the grand-old party is 'with Maharashtra', adding that it the current Maharashtra dispensation is capable enough to take decisions regarding the Covid crisis. This comes as CM Uddhav is meeting top MVA leaders to review the situation of Coronavirus in the state as its tally reaches 54,758 - by far the highest among states.

"We are with Maharashtra at this point. Maharashtra government is more than capable enough to take a decision over how to fight the Covid-19 war," Rahul Gandhi said, as per sources.

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'Congress is not a decision-maker in Maharashtra'

Rahul Gandhi had sensationally distanced his party from the ongoing Covid crisis in Maharashtra. Putting the onus on Sharad Pawar-led NCP and CM Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena, Rahul Gandhi in an interaction with media on Tuesday said that Congress is just a 'supporting' party and not the 'decision-maker.' In what is seen as an admission of cracks within the Uddhav Thackeray led Maha Vikas Aghadi government, Rahul Gandhi went on to say that there is a 'difference' between running a government and supporting it. Rahul Gandhi said Maharashtra was suffering on account of 'connectivity'. 

He said: "We are just supporting the Maharashtra government. We are not the decision-maker here. We are decision-maker in Punjab, Chattisgarh, Rajasthan and in Puducherry. There is a difference between unning the government and supporting it."

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Rift in MVA?

Even as Maharashtra is dealing with the worst Coronavirus crisis of any state with 54,758 confirmed cases, there have been multiple reports of strained relations between Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress of the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance in Maharashtra. Moreover, the rushed midnight meetings between various leaders have only added to the talks about cracks within the MVA government. The NCP had also hit out at Rahul Gandhi, with Majeed Memon objecting to some of his statements. 

However, the BJP has claimed that its focus in the current time is to fight Covid-19 pandemic and not to form the government. Addressing the media on Tuesday evening, Fadnavis said that though the BJP is not trying to form the government in Maharashtra, he is sure that the MVA will fall due to its internal conflict. Meanwhile, NCP chief Pawar on Monday also met with Maharashtra Governor BS Koshyari at Raj Bhavan.

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