Cong lauds Maharashtra CM's handling of situation in Sena-Shah Rukh row

Congress today lauded the role played by Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan in handling the situation following threats and vandalism by Shiv Sena over Shah Rukh Khan-starrer My Name is Khan, saying he dealt with the issue in a balanced manner.

"The CM has handled the situation in a balanced manner," AICC general secretary Janardan Dwivedi told reporters here.

The statement of the party comes in the wake of the BJP blaming the Congress-led government in Maharashtra of failing to control the protesters.

BJP spokesman Ravi Shankar Prasad yesterday said that Chavan gave "strong" bytes on television but did not translate it into action on the ground.

Asked about the controversy surrounding Maharashtra Congress chief Manikrao Thakre's remark that the situation in Maharashtra would have been better had NCP chief Sharad Pawar not met Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray, a senior Congress leader on the condition of anonymity said, "Our state units are free to give their opinion on local issues."

The NCP today sharply reacted to Thakre's remark and said the latter "does not want Congress-NCP government in Maharashtra to continue. That is why he has made these remarks."

To a question whether Congress agrees with Pawar's meeting with Thackeray, during which they ostensibly discussed the IPL, the senior party leader said, "We have a political coalition with NCP. We are concerned with those issues."