Maha BJP: Replace Thackeray as CM; MVA Spurns Demand

Mumbai:  The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday demanded that the Maha Vikas Aghadi should replace Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray since he is indisposed and the state administration is allegedly at a standstill, but the ruling coalition of Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress dismissed the suggestion.

Ahead of the start of the Winter Session of Maharashtra Legislature here, state BJP President Chandrakant Patil and other leaders raised the issue of “the CM’s long absence” and urged that he should be replaced by either his wife Rashmi or son and Tourism Minister Aditya Thackeray in the post.

“The people of the state have not seen the CM for a long… It’s understandable that he is unwell. As per tradition, the charge should have been handed over to someone else. It is possible that he has no faith in the two allies (NCP-Congress), and if he has no faith even in his own partymen (Sena), he can at least give charge to Aditya Thackeray,” Patil said.

The Sena-NCP hit back with ministers Aditya Thackeray and Jayant Patil assuring that the CM’s health is fine and he is likely to attend the House.

Rejecting the opposition’s contentions, they also said the CM, the cabinet and the government are performing very well and there should be no cause for anyone to worry.

Sena MP Sanjay Raut took a swipe at Patil by saying that “he should concentrate on the Opposition” instead of doling out advice to the MVA government.

CM Thackeray, who underwent a cervical spine surgery on November 12, has been recuperating at his official residence ‘Varsha’ since the past over a month.

However, he has been regularly conducting important meetings related to the Covid-19 and Omicron health crises, the cabinet meetings and other major meets online.

IANS