The much-awaited coordination committee meeting between the Congress and the NCP will either be held on August 2 or 3, confirmed MPCC president Manikrao Thakre. How-ever, he also condemned NCP for not coordinating with the Congress.
Mr Thakre said that he had suggested the idea of the coordination committee meetings between the ruling parties way back in December 2010 soon after Prithviraj Chavan became the chief minister. “There was a need for coordination, however, NCP was not interested in the idea of holding coordination committee meetings. They took four months (till March 2011) to agree with us having such meetings,” said Mr Thakre.
The MPCC president added that NCP’s intentions were exposed soon after the first few days.
“It was agreed upon between the parties that they would contest the major elections together but the NCP supported the BJP in Vidarbha against the Congress. There were many similar incidents and there should be coordination between the parties as they are running the government,” he said.
However, NCP state chief Madhukar Pichad, who has been blowing hot and cold over the issue regarding coordination between the two parties, on Monday told the media that he was called on by his party president Sharad Pawar who asked him not to comment any further on the issue till the coordination committee meeting takes place.
NCP chief and Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar will be meeting the CM and other ministers at the Sahyadri Guest House on Wednesday.
They will be discussing the issue of scanty rainfall that might lead to a drought-like situation in the state.
Mr Pawar would also be meeting the Karnataka chief minister on August 2, and the CMs of Gujarat and Rajasthan on August 3, as even these states are facing the same issue of scarce rainfall.