He appealed to the opposition camp- Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction)- to accept the leadership of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde
Uday Samant. File Pic
Shiv Sena leader and Maharashtra minister Uday Samant on Monday said politics should not be played on important issues concerning people against the backdrop of the death of several patients at two state-run hospitals in Nanded and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.
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"The opposition should behave as an effective opposition. No one including the ruling party and the opposition should play politics on important issues," the minister told reporters.
He appealed to the opposition camp- Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction)- to accept the leadership of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
"The government is of the view that the deaths of patients in Nanded were unfortunate. We don't want these incidents repeated elsewhere," he added.
As many as 31 patients, including infants, died at the Dr Shankarrao Chavan Government Medical College and Hospital in Nanded in 48 hours since September 30, while the death of 18 patients was recorded at the Government Medical College and Hospital at Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar between October 2 and 3, officials had said.
Without taking names, Samant claimed the leader of the opposition remains absent whenever CM Shinde calls for a meeting on reservations and other development-related issues, but later criticises the government.
Samant claimed the then chief minister (Uddhav Thackeray) had not accepted a proposal for setting up a government medical college in Ratnagiri but the Shinde government approved this suggestion.
"During the COVID-19 pandemic, 30 per cent of deaths among more than 5 lakh people occurred in Maharashtra. How can one take credit for good work during that period?" Samant questioned in a veiled jibe at former CM Thackeray. He said CM Shinde doesn't work on Facebook and social media alone.
Samant said all departments will come out with the "progress report" for the last two-and-a-half years in the next two to three days.
Queried on Shiv Sena leader Manisha Kayande's purported statement that Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will join the Union government, Samant said it was her personal opinion and the party has got nothing to do with it.
"The chief minister has already clarified this. The ruling party is doing good work under the guidance of Fadnavis. The decision of going to the Centre or remaining in state politics is the prerogative of Fadnavis and his party," he added.
He said the CM has given clear instructions to Shiv Sena leaders to offer comments only on the official views of the party.
"Against this background, Kayande's comments have no value," he added.
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