Maharashtra Congress MLAs meet Sonia Gandhi, complain against state leadership

Gandhi voices concern over delay in election Maharashtra assembly speaker

ITDC INDIA EPRESS/ITDC NEWS R  A delegation of Congress MLAs from Maharashtra met party chief Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday and is learnt to have complained against senior ministers Balasaheb Thorat and Ashok Chavan.

During the 35-minute meeting with Gandhi, the delegation of 22 MLAs flagged issues such as lack of coordination within the Congress legislature party and non-availability of government funds earmarked for MLAs for development activities, party sources said.

The MLAs, including Vikas Thakre, Kunal Patil, Sangram Thopte among others, pointed out that Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde effectively helped legislators of their respective parties and Congress legislators felt ignored by their leadership in the assembly.

Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress run a coalition government in Maharashtra.

Gandhi is also learnt to have voiced concern over the delay in the election of the Speaker of the Maharashtra assembly. The post has been vacant since the resignation of Nana Patole in February last year.

The MLAs also flagged the issue of appointments to various state corporations and pitched for a transparent process in finalisation of the share of the three alliance partners.

Gandhi is learnt to have asked the MLAs to give their complaints in writing.

Interestingly, AICC general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal and AICC incharge of Maharashtra H.K. Patil were not present during the meeting.