Alva discusses governance, organisational matters

Mumbai, Aug 21 (UNI) AICC general secretary Margaret Alva today stressed for effective co-ordination between government and the Congress in Maharashtra.

She rejected the charge that the three-day exercise of interaction with ministers, legislators and office-bearers was an attempt to corner Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh.

Mrs Alva held a three-hour long meeting with all the cabinet ministers as well as ministers of state, belonging to the party, at the Sahaydri guest house. The discussions centred around the performance of the ministers.

She also discussed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit next week when he is expected to review the special package given to farmers suicide-prone six districts of Vidarbha and progress of Mumbai's development plan. Mr Deshmukh was not present at the meeting.

There was no co-ordination between the party and government in the state and said co-ordination needed to be strengthened, she said adding ministers of state had complained that they enjoy no powers in decision making.

''Junior ministers said they do not receive co-operation from seniors in the ministry,''she said.

A fortnight ago, Mrs Alva had held a meeting of ministers, MLAs and office bearers at the state unit office here. Sources said she had given an adverse report about the functioning of Mr Deshmukh to AICC president Sonia Gandhi. But, Mr Deshmukh met the Congress chief and discussed filling up vacant posts in the state owned corporations, a cabinet expansion/reshuffle and implementation of the Srikrishna commission report on the 1992-93 Mumbai riots.

Mr Deshmukh joined the deliberations in the co-ordination committee meeting of the Congress, which was held at his official residence 'Varsha'. State unit president Prabha Rau and Mumbai Congress President Gurudas Kamat were among senior leaders who attended the meeting. Mrs Alva will interact with legislators and officebearers in the next two days.

UNI