No plans to topple Maharashtra govt, Congress may withdraw MVA support: NDA-ally Athawale

Wading into the war-of-words that has broken out between the leaders of Maha Vikas Aghadi, Union minister Ramdas Athawale claimed that Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut's comments on the United Progressive Alliance's (UPA) leadership can destabilize the Maharashtra government. While speaking to reporters, Athawale said that Raut's statements have irked the Congress which is part of the ruling Sena-led coalition in the state. He has also said that the NDA alliance has no plans to topple the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra government and repeated ex-CM Devendra Fadnavis claim that the government will fall due to its own deeds.

"Raut said that Sharad Pawar should lead the UPA, which has made Congress leaders angry. As a result, Congress can withdraw support and the Maha Vikas Aghadi government may collapse. We have no plans to topple this government. But if it falls, NDA will certainly form a government in the state," Athawale said. On the Enforcement Directorate (ED) summoning Raut's wife in an alleged money laundering case, Athawale said, "The ED is a government organization, but it is independent. The government does not have any motive to harass anybody through the ED."

READ | Congress Warns Shiv Sena Over Remark On UPA: 'Being In MVA Govt Not A Priority For Us'

Rift in MVA

Speaking to reporters in Mumbai on Saturday, Raut called for expanding the scope of the Congress-led UPA bloc, saying the Opposition should unite against the "dictatorial attitude" of the Centre and provide a "formidable alternative" to the Narendra Modi government. He also said Sonia Gandhi effectively led the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) all these years and now the time has come to expand its scope by inducting more allies. He added, "Apart from Sonia Gandhi, Sharad Pawar has support from a cross-section of people."

After this, distancing itself from Shiv Sena, former Maharashtra CM Ashok Chavan on Sunday said that 'Shiv Sena is not part of United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and a tie-up between two parties is limited to Maharashtra only'. "We respect Sharad Pawar as a tall leader of the nation and hence will not comment on it. Pawar Saheb himself had condemned reports saying he had no intention of heading UPA. The alliance we have with Shiv Sena is limited to Maharashtra, based on a common minimum programme. Shiv Sena is legally not a part of UPA. And a party which is not part of the UPA, must not comment on its leadership," he said.

Further, in a warning to Shiv Sena, the Congress party made it clear that it would not hesitate to quit the Maharashtra government if anyone speaks against its leadership. Speaking at a function to mark the party's Foundation Day on Monday, Mumbai Congress working president Charan Singh Sapra maintained that the party's foremost priority was respect for its leadership.

READ | MVA Rift Deepens; Ashok Chavan Says 'Sena Not Part Of UPA' Amid Alliance Chief Row

Sena & Congress-NCP

Sena has often clashed with its ideological polar opposite Congress since the formation of the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance over issues like Hindutva, CAA, NRC, Ram Janmabhoomi, Savarkar, COVID-19 etc, with NCP playing the peacemaker. Several ministers from NCP and Congress have accused Uddhav Thackeray of depending more on bureaucrats than his alliance partners, alleging that they were being 'sidelined'. Congress chief Balasaheb Thorat, minister Ashok Chavan have openly stated that the party has had no say in any of the decisions being taken by the Thackeray-government. All three allies have maintained that the alliance is safe, but BJP has often asserted that the MVA govt will fall on its own.

READ | Congress neta retorts to Shiv Sena's remark on UPA: 'No need to comment on Sonia Gandhi'

READ | Coronavirus LIVE Updates