Signs of bickering in MVA

While the developments over the past few days suggest the three parties forming the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) are bickering over various issues, insiders claim

While the developments over the past few days suggest the three parties forming the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) are bickering over various issues, insiders claim more differences could crop up over various other issues, including nominations of party members to the Council and reshuffle of the bureaucracy.

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The Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) want the names for 12 members of the council to be recommended to the Governor at the earliest, while the Shiv Sena wants it to be handled cautiously. A tiff is also likely over extension for chief secretary Ajoy Mehta, as only the Sena is in favour of the move.

The state recommends names to the Governor for nominations to the Council as per the constitutional provision under Article 171. The six-year term of 10 of the 12 council members appointed from the Governor’s quota in 2014 ended last week, while two others will retire on June 15. The Sena, NCP and Congress are expected to give four names each for the vacant seats. The Congress and NCP state chiefs have reportedly approached chief minister Uddhav Thackeray for a decision on the vacant council posts.

“We have asked the chief minister for a coordination meeting to finalise the quota and names to be recommended by taking a decision in the cabinet. The list should have been sent before the term ended on June 6, but there is no discussion yet,” said a senior Congress leader.

The ruling parties feel the Governor may stall the recommendation, similar to the situation when Thackeray’s name was recommended two months ago. The Congress leader said the Sena leadership is treading cautiously, as it does not want another tussle with the Governor.

Meanwhile, Mehta’s second extension ends on June 30. Thackeray is reportedly in favour of giving him another term of three months in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic. The Congress and NCP have opposed the move. “Mehta is also likely to be appointed in a special role in the chief minister’s office. The two ruling parties are against any such move,” said an NCP leader.

The leader said they were of the opinion that the administration is enjoying dominance in decision-making and it has been proven true after a showdown between ministers and bureaucrats in the cabinet meeting on Tuesday, where NCP leader and food and civil supplies minister Chhagan Bhujbal slammed Mehta for bringing a proposal in the cabinet without having consulted with him.

Even as Thackeray claimed on Wednesday that there was no face-off between the ministers and officers, the Congress held two meetings of its senior leaders over the past two days. “The Congress is part of the ruling alliance and we have our own expectations. We want to have a say in decision-making and will convey our feelings to the CM,” Congress state chief Balasaheb Thorat said.

Political analyst Hemant Desai said there are differences within the MVA, but it has not reached the stage of bickering. “NCP chief Sharad Pawar was known as a leader with full command over bureaucracy, but in the given scenario, he does not appear to be happy with the way the administration is functioning. The stand-off between ministers and bureaucrats in the cabinet meeting was an indicator that three ruling parties are not on the same page,” he said.