40 Cong MLAs write to Thakre against Chavan

As many as 40 Congress MLAs nearly half the partys strength in the Assembly have written a letter to state party chief Manikrao Thakre complaining on a variety of issues,including fund allocation,ministerial berths and appointments to PSU boards. The show of resentment follows a walkout by a few MLAs after a Congress Legislature Party meeting on July 9,indicating the growing intolerance in a section of the Congress about the state of affairs in Maharashtra.

Thakre admitted to receiving the letter about two weeks back,but dismissed that it was a petition against Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavans style of functioning. I have not received any letter from any MLA complaining against the Chief Minister,nor expressing any anger against him. All our MLAs are standing firmly behind him, he said.

Reports had suggested that Congress MLAs,piggy-backing on the NCPs complaints against the CM,had collected signatures of over 40 MLAs and petitioned the party to replace Chavan. The letter,leaked to a section of the media,bears neither a date nor the name of the MLA on whose official letterhead the petition was drafted.