Leaders queue up at Raj Bhavan, Raut says bid to impose President’s rule will not succeed

"I went to meet the Governor after a call from the Raj Bhavan. I know the governor from our Parliament days," Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut told The Indian Express.

As the political war of words over the Maha Vikas Aghadi government’s handling of the coronavirus crisis in Maharashtra continues, a number of senior state leaders have also visited state Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari in the last few days.

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut visited the Raj Bhavan on Saturday, followed by NCP chief Sharad Pawar, party leader Praful Patel and BJP leader Narayan Rane on Monday. While the visits of Pawar and Praful Patel were described as “courtesy calls”, Rane said he had sought imposition of President’s rule in Maharashtra as the Maha Vikas Aghadi government had “failed” to control the Covid-19 crisis.

“I told the governor that all hospitals in Mumbai should be handed over the Army. Uddhav Thackeray has failed to save the lives of people. His government has failed in handling the situation. I have urged the governor to impose President’s rule in Maharashtra,” Rane said after meeting the governor.

Responding to Rane, Raut said, “Who is Rane ? And what right does he have to make such a call ?”

“I went to meet the Governor after a call from the Raj Bhavan. I know the governor from our Parliament days,” Raut told The Indian Express.

During the discussion, Raut said, the governor tried to point out that the state government was finding it difficult to handle the Covid-19 situation. “…But I told him the situation was very much under control and the chief minister was leading from the front, initiating strong measures almost every day…,” said Raut.

The Sena leader claimed the Centre and BJP were trying to create an atmosphere to dismiss the state government and impose President’s rule in the state. “… But they will not succeed,” he said.

While Pawar’s office refused to comment on his meeting with Koshyari, Praful Patel said,”It was a routine meeting between the governor and the NCP chief. It was not about any particular political issue or topic.” Patel said they had met the governor on the latter’s invitation.

Meanwhile, the war of words between the Railway Ministry and the state government, over the Shramik Special trains ferrying migrants, continued.

In a televised address on Sunday, Thackeray had said,”We have been asking for 80 trains per day but are getting only 30-40 Shramik Special trains… We had made the demands earlier as well, but they remain unfulfilled”.

Railway Minister Piyush Goyal tweeted, “Sadly, it has been 1.5 hours but Maharashtra Govt has been unable to give required information about tomorrow’s planned 125 trains to GM of Central Railway. Planning takes time and we do not want trains to stand empty at the stations, so its impossible without full details.”

Around 4.30 pm on Monday, Goyal again tweeted, “The reality is Maharashtra government has no list, no details on migrant labourers, no clarity on who wants to go where. It is a completely broken administration.”

Raut said there was no need to provide a list. “There should be a dialogue between the Centre and the state,” he said.

Former CM and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis said the state government was trying to hide its failure by unnecessary blaming the Railway Ministry.