Sonia’s letter to Uddhav result of lack of communication within Cong: NCP

Maharashtra Congress president Balasaheb Thorat said Gandhi’s letter was not out of resentment, but as part of a dialogue process. “Congress’s stand has always been in favour of uplift of poor and deprived sections of the society and Gandhi’s letter was part of dialogue on how welfare measures can be taken. There is no resentment,” he said.

A day after Congress chief Sonia Gandhi wrote to Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray seeking measures for the welfare of socially backward communities, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) said the letter could be a result of miscommunication between Congress leaders while the Shiv Sena maintained that all was well among the state alliance partners.

Gandhi on Friday reminded Thackeray of the Common Minimum Program (CMP) of state’s Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, of which the Shiv Sena, Congress and NCP are a part. She also sought the implementation of certain measures for the welfare of members of Dalit and tribal communities.

“...there should be legislative backing to utilize the funds allocated (for schemes for SC/STs) during the same financial year,” she said.

Reacting to the letter, NCP minister and spokesperson Nawab Malik said that the letter could be an outcome of lack of communication within the Congress. “The functioning of various programmes and schemes of the government was interrupted due to the pandemic. Besides, the tribal development department is headed by a Congress minister. The party’s leaders should have asked the concerned minister what is the reality,” he said.

Maharashtra Congress president Balasaheb Thorat said Gandhi’s letter was not out of resentment, but as part of a dialogue process. “Congress’s stand has always been in favour of uplift of poor and deprived sections of the society and Gandhi’s letter was part of dialogue on how welfare measures can be taken. There is no resentment,” he said.

Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut denied any talks of “pressure politics” being done by the Congress and said, “If the Congress party has brought forward an agenda which is in the interest of people of Maharashtra and the state, then, it should be welcomed.”