Anna Hazare’s three-day fast at the MMRDA grounds will be a litmus test for state chief minister Prithviraj Chavan. With Hazare gearing up to start his fast in Mumbai, the ruling Congress-NCP combine has decided to scale up their campaign to expose Team Anna by dismissing their pressure tactics as anti-democratic.
With Shiv Sena speaking their language, the ruling party has heaved a sigh of relief. But it is not ready to undermine the support Team Anna will get from the BJP and RSS.
“The biggest concern of the state government is to ensure law and order. The government is not against anybody’s agitation. We will certainly take measures to maintain normalcy in the city,” Chavan said.
The CM and his deputy Ajit Pawar are worried about the timing of the agitation, which comes just ahead of elections to 10 municipal corporations and zilla parishads across Maharashtra.
Highly-placed sources in government told DNA, “The Republican Party of India lead by Ramdas Athavale along with several Dalit organizations are planning to hold counter rallies to protest against Team Anna in the city. The administration has been told to guard against the ugly protests between these two groups.”
Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) chief Manikrao Thakre has appealed to the party members to focus on the concerted attempts made by the party under Sonia Gandhi to combat corruption in the system.“Our chief minister Prithviraj Chavan with an incredible clean image is our best bet. We will put his face to counter those (team Anna) questioning us on corruption,” Congress sources said.
Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar has asked his party activists not to go on back-foot in the wake of Anna’s agitation.
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