BJP leaders trying to destabilise Maharashtra government: Congress

BJP leaders in Maharashtra are trying to destabilise the ruling dispensation for power, but there is no reason to worry, state Congress president Balasaheb Thorat said on Tuesday.

The Congress is one of the constituents in the Shiv Sena-led Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government. Other partner is Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

"BJP leaders in the state are greedy for power. They cannot think of helping the government in the current situation. They are trying to destabilise the government," Thorat told reporters.

Asserting that there was nothing to worry about the survival of the government, Thorat, who heads Revenue department, said the ruling dispensation is stable and functioning properly.

When asked why no Congress leader is seen around chief minister Uddhav Thackeray or NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Thorat said, "We are in touch with each other over phones. Nothing should be read into such appearances or disappearances".

Interestingly, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has said in Delhi that his party is not a key decision-maker in the Maharashtra government.

"We are supporting Maharashtra government, but we are not in the key decision-making role in Maharashtra," he said in an online press conference, adding that Maharashtra requires full support of the Central government as the state is fighting a very difficult battle.

Maharashtra political scene hot up after a BJP delegation led by former CM Devendra Fadnavis recently met governor B S Koshyari and complained to him about the "failure" of the government in tackling the COVID-19 crisis.

While the Shiv Sena, without specifying any party or leader, has said the opposition's efforts to destabilise the state government could boomerang, the NCP has accused the BJP of spreading a rumour that President's rule will be imposed.

The demand for imposition of the President's Rule was indeed made on Monday by BJP MP Narayan Rane after meeting the governor at Raj Bhavan.