Gujarat worse in handling COVID-19 crisis: Raut

Sena MP bristles at Rane’s demand for President’s Rule in Maharashtra

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Tuesday hit back at BJP MP Narayan Rane’s demand to impose President’s Rule in Maharashtra, saying Gujarat’s performance in handling the COVID-19 pandemic has been worse, and it deserves to be put under Central rule first.

Without specifying any party or leader, Mr. Raut said the Opposition should get “quarantined”, and that their efforts to destabilise the State government could boomerang.

Senior BJP leader and former minister Sudhir Mungantiwar, meanwhile, said though the COVID-19 situation in Maharashtra is grim, it does not qualify for President’s Rule.

Mr. Rane, a Rajya Sabha member, on Monday met Governor B.S. Koshyari and demanded imposition of President’s Rule due to the Shiv Sena-led State government’s “failure” in tackling the pandemic.

Mr. Raut told reporters, “If you go by the Gujarat High Court’s strictures on tackling the COVID-19 crisis, the State’s performance is worse compared to Maharashtra. If President’s Rule has to be imposed, the Centre should start with Gujarat.”

Mr. Mungantiwar said the BJP does not think President’s Rule should be imposed in the State. “The situation in Maharashtra is grim, but it does not qualify for Presidents Rule. We feel the current State government is not serious enough to tackle the situation,” the BJP leader told a news channel.