Sonia letter to Thackeray on CMP just ‘communication’: Thorat

Sonia Gandhi and Uddhav Thackeray

Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s missive to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray seeking implementation of welfare measures for Dalits and tribals was just a “communication in the form of a letter, said the state Congress on Monday and asserted the MVA government is strong.

The Maharashtra Congress shared with Thackeray the letter written to him by Gandhi in which she reminded about the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) of the three-party MVA government and its commitment to the welfare of socially backward communities.

Speaking to reporters after he led a Maharashtra Congress delegation to Thackeray on Monday, Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat said the epistle is only a communication in the form of a letter.

In the letter, dated December 14, Gandhi reminded Thackeray of the common minimum programme (CMP) of the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress government and sought implementation of certain measures for the welfare of Dalits and tribals.

She demanded reservation in government contracts for SC/ST professionals to promote entrepreneurship among them, among other things.

The letter was significant as Gandhi has written to Thackeray for the first time since her party and the NCP formed an unlikely alliance with the Shiv Sena last year.

The three parties had worked out the CMP before forming the alliance after the 2019 Assembly elections. Sonia ji is guiding us the way honourable (NCP President) Sharad Pawar ji does. “The only difference is instead of meeting in person, a letter (written by Gandhi) was shared (with the Chief Minister), Thorat said.

The Maharashtra Congress president said the CMP was drafted by the three parties together and hence, whatever works are being carried out by the government are of the trio.

Each of the parties shares the success of it and not any single party because the programme (CMP) was worked out by the three parties, he added.

Thorat was accompanied by School Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad and newly appointed Mumbai Congress chief Ashok alias Bhai Jagtap, among other party leaders.