Get down on implementing CMP promises, Sonia advises Maharashtra ministers

A day after the Cabinet expansion in Maharashtra, Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday directed senior state leaders and ministers to focus on implementing promises made by the party.

Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray (L) with Congress President Sonia Gandhi. (File| PTI)

NEW DELHI: A day after the Cabinet expansion in Maharashtra, Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday directed senior state leaders and ministers to focus on implementing promises made by the party.
Former Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan, who was sworn in as PWD minister, led the party delegation. The leaders also met former party chief Rahul Gandhi.

The meeting comes at a time when some Congress leaders are unhappy over the Cabinet expansion. Former state CM and Prithiviraj Chavan did not find place in the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra government. The Cabinet expansion has led to discontent among leaders of Shiv Sena and NCP in the three-party alliance government in Maharashtra.

According to sources, the party is expected to accommodate some of the leaders, who cannot be given ministerial birth, in the organisation and will be given a bigger role. During the meeting, the ministers were told to focus on implementing the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) and pursue the party’s agenda in the government. “Maharashtra Congress leaders and party ministers met both the leaders and took their guidance in implementing the CMP and especially focus on pushing the party’s agenda related to welfare of people,” said Congress state chief and minister Balasaheb Thorat.

Another minister Amit Deshmukh said that the focus of the government will be to implement people-related policies. Last month, Thackeray took oath after days of negotiations between the three parties to arrive at a consensus on the CMP. On Monday, 36 ministers, including 10 from the Congress, took oath as ministers.