Rift in MVA govt? Maharashtra Congress echoes Rahul, demands more stake in decision-making

A rift within the Maha Vikas Aghadi government again surfaced after a group of senior Congress leaders met at Sports Minister Sunil Kedar's residence on Thursday, June 11. Addressing the media, Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat admitted that the Congress party had certain grievances with the ruling government. He put forth the demand that Congress should get a bigger stake in the decision-making process. Thorat mentioned that these concerns would be communicated to Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray. 

Maharashtra Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat remarked, "We have few grievances. Our demand is that we should get appropriate space in the decision-making process. We will inform the Chief Minister about it."

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NCP supremo meets Thackeray

Meanwhile, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar is currently meeting Thackeray at the Balasaheb Thackeray Memorial in Shivaji Park. As per sources, the issue of granting an extension to Chief Secretary Ajoy Mehta will come under discussion. The other agendas are finalizing the relief package for Cyclone Nisarga and measures to contain the spread of COVID-19. 

Read: Employ Locals In Ongoing Infrastructure Projects: Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray

'We are not the key decision-maker in Maharashtra'

Incidentally, Thorat echoed former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on the party's role in the coalition. Addressing a press conference on May 26, Gandhi reportedly sought to distance the Congress party from Maharashtra government's handling of the COVID-19 crisis. Maintaining that there was a difference between running and supporting a government, he observed that the Congress party was not the key decision-maker in Maharashtra unlike Punjab, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, and Puducherry.

Rahul Gandhi said, "I would like to make a differentiation here. We are supporting the government in Maharashtra. But we are not the key decision-maker in Maharashtra. We are the key decision-maker in Punjab, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, and Puducherry. So there is a difference between running a government and supporting a government." 

Read: Maharashtra: CM Uddhav Thackeray Urges People To Avoid Crowding As Lockdown Is Eased

Monsoon session postponed

Amid the ongoing novel coronavirus crisis, the Monsoon session of the Maharashtra Assembly was postponed till August 3. Previously, the session was slated to commence from June 22. This decision was taken in the meeting of the Business Advisory Committee on Wednesday. The session will last for a period of 15 days. However, only a one-day session would be conducted if the COVID-19 situation in the state is not under control even at that juncture.