Maharashtra minister responds to Fadnavis' challenge, says let central and state governments dissolve

Maharashtra Minister Aslam Shaikh on Monday said the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) state government was ready to take on the challenge thrown by BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis daring chief minister Uddhav Thackeray to seek a fresh mandate and said let both central and state government be dissolved.

"MVA Government is ready to take the challenge. Let Devendra Fadnavis speak to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Let the central government get dissolved, let the state government dissolve. Both elections would take place simultaneously. Whatever the results are, people will come to Know," Shaikh told ANI.

Earlier, former Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis challenged the Shiv Sena to contest polls again and claimed that his party will defeat the ruling alliance of Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena.

"I challenge you (Shiv Sena) to fight elections again if you are so confident. BJP will defeat Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena in the polls on its own," he had said.

When asked whether there is any rift between NCP and Shiv Sena, the Congress leader said that the Maha Vikas Aghadi government will run its full course of five years.

"This is not the first time Sharad Pawar has taken a meeting before the government formation. Today's meeting was about how the government has to function. Some people are portraying that the government is not stable. But this government will be there for 5 years definitely," he said.