Tremendous anger among people on the way MVA govt was toppled: Prithviraj Chavan

Mumbai: Senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan on Friday said there is tremendous anger among people over the manner in which the Maha Vikas Aghadi government was brought down in Maharashtra in June last year.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA government, which comprised the Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress and Nationalist Congress Party, fell after a rebellion by Eknath Shinde, who went on to become chief minister with the support of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Addressing a press conference, Chavan said a two-day review meeting of all 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra was assessing the political situation and how the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra and the party's win in Karnataka had impacted Maharashtra politics at the ground level.

"We will discuss where the Congress stands and how the MVA can win maximum seats. The fight in Maharashtra will be between the MVA and the BJP-Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena alliance. Seat sharing will be tough but it will be done," the former chief minister said.

He added that seat sharing between the Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena (UBT) was tough but all constituents wanted the MVA to continue.

The party's state parliamentary board will analyse the reports of this two-day meeting and a state wide tour will be planned, he said, adding the MVA meetings will begin after this exercise is completed.

Asserting that those who voted for the BJP in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls were now repenting and feel betrayed, Chavan said, "Apart from the main issues of inflation, unemployment, lack of good price for agricultural produce, the manner in which the MVA was toppled has not been liked by people. There is tremendous anger." Speaking on the protesting wrestlers, Chavan urged sportspersons and film personalities to come forward and support their fight.

The state Congress wants Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene, the former Union minister added.

"Listen to your conscience and speak out. If you (Modi) keep quiet it will mean you are in support of people who violated the POCSO Act,'' Chavan asserted.