Reacting to the letter by Mrs Gandhi, Sanjay Raut said there was nothing to be read between the lines in it. He added that the two parties were in an alliance and there was no “pressure politics”.
Mumbai| Reminding him of the Common Minimum Program (CMP) of the government and seeking the implementation of certain measures for the welfare of Dalits and tribals, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi has written a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.
Since her party formed an unlikely alliance with the Shiv Sena along with the NCP to form “Maha Vikas Aghadi” (MVA) government in the state last year, this is for the first time that Sonia Gandhi has written to Thackeray, which makes the letter more significant.
In her letter dated December 14, Sonia Gandhi, among other things, demanded reservation in government contracts for SC/ST professionals to promote entrepreneurship among them, Congress sources said.
According to sources, Mr Gandhi expressed confidence that the MVA government under Mr Thackeray’s leadership will implement the CMP in letter and spirit.
She also said that the budget allocation for the development of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes should be proportionate to their share in the population.
The focus should be on bringing these communities on par with the rest of society at the earliest, the Congress chief stressed.
“…there should be legislative backing to utilize the funds allocated (for schemes for SC/STs) during the same financial year,” she added.
Reacting to the letter by Mrs Gandhi, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Saturday said there was nothing to be read between the lines in Congress chief Sonia Gandhi’s letter to his party chairperson Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. He added that the two parties were in an alliance and there was no “pressure politics”.
“Sonia Gandhi is the president of UPA (United Progressive Alliance). She and Sharad Pawar had an important role in the formation of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (Maharashtra’s ruling coalition). While allying, we had created a Common Minimum Program. The letter is about that,” Mr Raut said.
“The coronavirus pandemic is the reason for the pending work on the issues that were in the Common Minimum Program. Some projects have been left pending because of the increased work because of the pandemic,” he added.
“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. There is no pressure politics. We are in alliance with Congress,” the Rajya Sabha MP said.
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