Both Deputy Chief Ministers Eyeing CM’s Chair, Ruling Parties Competing to Loot: Patole – News18

Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole on Friday slammed the Eknath Shinde-led government for not appointing the guardian ministers for 17 districts and claimed that both deputy chief ministers were eyeing the CM’s chair.

The three ruling partners – Shiv Sena, BJP and Ajit Pawar faction of NCP – are competing to “loot” the state coffers, he said.

“In this government, one minister is the guardian minister of six districts. Nineteen guardian ministers have been appointed for 36 districts. This means 17 districts still do not have a full-time guardian minister,” said Patole.

The Congress leader said the government is in a quandary over who will do the flag-hoisting on August 15, referring to a list of ministers assigned to hoist the Tricolour at district headquarters on Independence Day.

The government had earlier announced that the flag-hoisting will be done by the district magistrates and commissioners in the absence of a guardian minister, but changes had to be made to it, Patole told reporters here.

“Both deputy chief ministers – Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar – are eyeing the CM’s chair. There’s confusion and utter chaos in the government,” Patole claimed.

The Congress leaders alleged that the three-party government is not at all concerned about the issues of the people. He said the administration is not functioning and officials in the rank of tehsildar are being caught red-handed taking bribes.

“This is not a good sign for the state. Due to lack of government control over the administration, corruption has skyrocketed,” he claimed.

Maharashtra is facing the crisis of double sowing, he said.

“First, there was excess rainfall, and now there’s no rain at all. The Kharif crops are at risk. While the public is suffering, instead of doing something for them, there’s competition among the three (ruling) parties who can loot the government treasury more,” he said.

Referring to allegations about the death of five patients in a single day at a civic-run hospital in Thane, Patole called it unfortunate and said it happened in CM’s city. The hospital, however, has denied the allegations.

Patole claimed that Maharashtra’s health budget is just 1 per cent of its Gross State Domestic Product and it should be increased to 15 per cent.

“The health services in the state are deteriorating, hospitals lack doctors, nurses, and medicines. On the other hand, the government is only giving advertisements. Ordinary people are not getting even basic medical facilities. This is a government of only a handful of people,” he said.

The Congress leader claimed that there are 75,000 vacant posts of teachers in the state but the government is only making announcements about teacher recruitment. “The education system is collapsing, schools are in a shambles,” he said.

In Maharashtra, which boasts leaders like Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj, Mahatma Phule, and Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, children from underprivileged families are not getting an education, he said.

“People are fed up with the governance of the BJP and soon the public will oust them from power,” he claimed.

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI)