MVA allies put up united front, says BJP taking anti-Maharashtra stand

He added that it also suggests that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Skill India’ programme has failed in Maharashtra in the last five years when BJP was in power.

Patil, Shiv Sena leader and Transport Minister Anil Parab and Congress leader and Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat addressed the media jointly a day after former chief minister Devendra Fandavis claimed that state has received Rs 28,104 crore assistance from the Union government.

The decision to hold a joint press conference also came a day after speculations of discord within MVA, fueled by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s remark that the party was not a “key decision maker” in Maharashtra. Sources said that on Tuesday night, Rahul Gandhi had a telephonic conversation with Sena leader and Minister Aaditya Thackeray, in which he explained his remark and extended support to the Uddhav government.

Addressing medispersons, Patil said the state government had received only Rs 6,649 crore from the Centre. “BJP claims that the cost of transporation of migrants was borne by the Centre. But the migrant workers’ ticket fare was paid by the state government through the Chief Minister Relief Fund (CMRF). The BJP did not contribute a single penny to CMRF but gave funds to the Union government. So, the question is whether the BJP is the enemy of Maharashtra,” Patil said, adding that Fadnavis had also sided with the Centre when the International Financial Services Centre was recently shifted to Gujarat.

Parab said that Fadnavis has provided “imaginary figures” about the assistance received by the state. “The government has not received any wheat yet. It has also not received the funds for the migrants transpiration as has been announced,” he added.

Thorat said that the three alliance partners are working together and there are no differences. “The three alllies are working together under the leadership of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. We were expecting cooperation from the BJP but it is trying to create instability by taking advantage of the current situation.”

Earlier this week, questions were raised about the government’s stability after NCP chief Sharad Pawar met Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray at his residence Matoshree in Mumbai, for first time since 2012.