West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday flayed the BJP for trying to topple the MVA government in that state in an unethical and unconstitutional manner.
She said the saffron party has deliberately chosen to “disturb” the Maharashtra government at a time when the presidential polls are approaching.
“It’s an unfortunate fact that the federal structure has been totally demolished by the BJP-led central government. They are attempting to topple the Maharashtra government in an unethical and unconstitutional manner, Banerjee told reporters at the state secretariat.
Describing the situation in Maharashtra as “shocking”, Banerjee said, “We want justice for people, for the electoral mandate and for Uddhav Thackeray (Maharashtra CM).
In what seems to be an apparent bid to topple the Maha Vikas Aghadi government (MVA) in Maharashtra, dissident legislators of Shiv Sena, which heads the ruling coalition, left for Surat on Tuesday, where they had camped for the day, before flying to Guwahati in a chartered aircraft.
This is perhaps the first time MLAs from a western state were flown to a northeastern state, following their rebellion against the party leadership.
The exact number of rebel legislators that moved to Guwahati could not be confirmed, but the flight reportedly carried 89 passengers, including the crew.
The Trinamool Congress supremo asked the BJP to send the MLAs to Bengal instead, where they will be extended good hospitality.
“Why are you disturbing the Assam government when they are facing floods? Send them (the MLAs) to Bengal and we will extend good hospitality and take care of democracy, too,” she said.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole said his party was ready for a floor test and was standing by the Shiv Sena to stop the BJP from coming to power. He, however, added that is the Sena wanted to form an alliance with anyone, his party did not have a problem about it.
“We’re with them (Shiv Sena) to stop the BJP from coming to power. This game is happening due to the ED… The Congress is ready for a floor test. We’re with MVA and will remain so. If they (Shiv Sena) want to form an alliance with anyone, we don’t have a problem,” Patole said.
Senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge also said his party wanted to work together within the MVA. “The present Maharashtra government is doing developmental work in the state. The BJP trying to destabilise the Maharashtra government. They did the same in the past too in Karnataka, MP and Goa,” Kharge said.
In a tweet, NCP leader Jayant Patil said his party would stand firmly by Thackeray till the end. “The Maha Vikas Aghadi is a government established for the development and welfare of Maharashtra. We will stand firmly with Uddhav Thackeray till the end,” he wrote in Marathi.
The Sena, NCP and Congress had formed the MVA government after the Uddhav-led party severed decades-old ties with the BJP in 2019 over power-sharing issues.
