Mumbai: Maharashtra Tourism and Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray gave a befitting reply to opposition and critics for their repeated criticism that Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray works from home and does not step out during floods and other crisis. ‘’If you're going to focus on the opposition, it's not something for us to do. The work for all of us is to go beyond politics. It's time to stand behind the people,’’ said Aaditya after attending a public function here.

Aaditya’s statement came after Union Minister Narayan Rane targeted the CM for the failure of the state government in tackling crisis including the coronavirus pandemic, cyclones and floods. Incidentally, Rane’s criticism came when CM was in the flood-hit Chiplun where he reviewed the devastation and spoke to cross sections of people. Thackeray assured all the possible help.

Aaditya’s reply is also important when the leader of opposition in the state council Pravin Darekar had blamed the Maha Vikas Aghadi government for its failure to anticipate the magnitude of the monsoon disaster that devastated Konkan and other parts of Maharashtra. “An NDRF team ought to be permanently stationed in Konkan. It is a given that the region experiences extremely heavy rain. Why is it that the government machinery is awakening to the dangers only now when thousands of people are battling for their lives in flood-hit places like Chiplun?” he asked.

Earlier, state BJP president Chandrakant Patil had lashed out at Thackeray for not stepping out of home. He had said that there are two chief ministers in Maharashtra; one is operating from home – Matoshree residence of Thackeray, while another is touring Maharashtra hinting at Sharad Pawar.

However, Thackeray had countered BJP’s attack saying that he has been coordinating government work and holding meetings with the concerned ministers and departments.