The meeting of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has begun at Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray's Varsha bungalow residence and senior leaders of alliance partners are in attendance amid reports of a rift between alliance partners.
On the issue of media reports of a rift between alliance partners and the rumours being circulated about the political crisis, Maharashtra Speaker and Congress leader Nana Patole said, "Whatever is being said in the media over Maharashtra political situation, there is no such situation in the state."
"At this time, we are only working towards fighting COVID19. We are following all guidelines of Government of India," he added as he is in the national capital for a meeting with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi distanced his party from Uddhav government yesterday saying Congress is not decision-maker in Maharashtra.
Congress leaders Bala Saheb Thorat, Varsha Gaikwad, Aslam Shaikh are attending the meeting. From NCP, Ajit Pawar, Jayant Patil are also attending the meet.
Subhash Desai and Eknath Shinde are attending the meeting representing Shiv Sena.
While he stressed that meeting is solely on discussing COVID as the state has as many as 54,758 positive cases of COVID-19 and is the worst coronavirus affected state in the country.
Notably, the meeting is held just a day after Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis held a press conference and stated that MVA government in the state will fall due to its own burden and BJP is not interested at all in changing the government.
"No one is trying to weaken the state government, it will fall due to its own burden. We are not trying to topple the Government," Fadnavis had said.
Accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of spreading the rumour that President's rule will be imposed in Maharashtra, state Congress chief and Revenue minister Balasaheb Thorat asserted that the government is "strong" and all the three parties are "united."
He also slammed the opposition BJP in the state for spreading rumours on the same."Every week Congress is having a meeting with the Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). We all are united and are working together for development. There is no reason for imposing presidential rule in the state. Our government is strong. Because BJP leaders are meeting the Governor does not mean that presidential rule will come into force. BJP is power-hungry," he said while speaking to media.
( With inputs from ANI )