AsMaharashtra's ruling MVA constituents NCP and Shiv Sena spar over state HomeMinister Anil Deshmukh, the Congress is staying a silent spectator even whilespeculations do rounds on the motive behind the purported meeting between NCPsupremo Sharad Pawar and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
WithAmit Shah indicating the meeting with Pawar did take place in Ahmadabad, thoughhe did not reveal any details, the incident has upset the Congress and the Senaat the crucial time when the BJP has launched an onslaught on the UddhavThackeray-led state government.
Sourceswithin the Congress say that the party is watching the moves closely but will notcomment publicly until there is some political development.
TheNationalist Congress Party (NCP) took exception to Sena spokesman Sanjay Rautterming Deshmukh an "accidental Home Minister" in Sena mouthpiece'Saamna', claiming that he was chosen by Pawar for the post after the NCP'sfirst choices refused.
TheNCP hit back, with state Minister and party spokesman Nawab Malik refutingclaims that Deshmukh was chosen "accidentally" while Deputy ChiefMinister Ajit Pawar said that selecting ministers from the NCP quota was solediscretion of Sharad Pawar.
TheNCP chief has given a clean chit to Deshmukh, in wake of the serious chargesmade against him by former Mumbai Police chief Param Bir Singh in an explosiveletter, saying the allegations are "vague".
Onthe BJP's demand for the dismissal of the Home Minister Pawar, said:"During the period about which the allegations were levelled againstDeshmukh, he was hospitalised. So, the demands for his dismissal hold nosubstance."
Pawarhad also said that this allegation has been levelled to derail the probe intothe incident of the SUV laden with explosives found near the residence ofindustrialist Mukesh Ambani.
TheCongress, which is silent on these developments and insists that the MVAgovernment will run for full five years, has, however, raised objections onRaut suggesting Pawar as UPA Chairperson. State party chief Nana Patole saidthat they had raised the issue with Chief Minister Thackeray during theirmeeting.
Meanwhile,the MVA has decided to launch an offensive against a section of powerfulserving and retired bureaucrats, allegedly working in tandem with theopposition BJP to topple the Thackeray government.