Cong-NCP members upset with govt handling of crises

The state unit of NCP is also upset as the state government has not heeded to their demand to include cabinet ministers in the committee headed by chief secretary Jayant Kumar Banthia to discuss the traders’ strike.

A senior cabinet minister from Congress said,“We are not going into the merits of the issues. But it seems that state government is being guided by bureaucrats. On matters that are politically sensitive,attempts should be made to rope in politicians from Congress and NCP.”

There is pressure on the AICC to direct the state government to shed its rigid stand and take a pragmatic view to resolve the crisis owing to the traders’ strike.

Chavan has,however,refused to budge from the stated position regarding LBT.

NCP ministers said,“The state government should have kept negotiations with traders open to defuse the situation. Instead,it has pushed traders to the wall.”

Ajit Pawar has steered clear of the issue. Insiders said,“NCP ministers believe there is no point in giving suggestions when the CM has formed an opinion after consulting bureaucrats from the ministry of finance and urban development.”

A couple of senior Congress MPs representing Mumbai said,“The prolonged strike shows the state government is not in control of the situation.”

A senior official in MPCC said,“In case of the teachers’ strike,the court order paved the way for them to end their agitation and helped government take decisions. But in case of LBT,the apex court has indicated that the matter be settled in Bombay High Court. How does it help the state administration?”