PM too should hand over charge to someone, says Patole after BJP questions CM Thackeray's absence

Hitting back over the BJP's demand that Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray hand over the charge to someone until he gets well, state Congress chief Nana Patole said on Wednesday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should also do the same thing.

As Thackeray, who is recuperating after a spine surgery, did not attend the state legislature on the first day of the winter session, his son and minister Aaditya Thackeray said he would be present in the House whenever needed.

Speaking to reporters, former Assembly Speaker Patole said the BJP should check prime minister Modi's Parliament attendance first.

"Even prime minister Narendra Modi is not present in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on many occasions. If the prime minister is not in the House then his charge too should be given to another minister," he said.

Chief minister Thackeray was in good health and will attend the ongoing session, the Congress leader added.

"I have had discussions with him, but the opposition is politicizing the issue for no reason," he said.

Uddhav Thackeray, 61, was hospitalized for a cervical spine surgery for about three weeks last month. On Tuesday, the chief minister participated via video conference in a cabinet meeting.

But he did not attend the session on Wednesday.

"If the chief minister Uddhav Thackeray is unable to attend the winter session, he should designate someone to carry out the business. It is inappropriate that the chief minister remains absent from the legislature proceedings," state BJP chief Chandrakant Patil had said in the morning.

Later, environment minister Aaditya Thackeray said his father was in good health. "He attended the cabinet meeting this morning virtually. He will attend the legislature proceedings whenever required," Aaditya told reporters.

Meanwhile, speaking in the Assembly, Patole demanded that incidents of question paper leaks during recruitment in various government departments should be discussed in the House.

Recruitment examination of the state health department had to be canceled recently due to paper leak.

People must know where these scams started and with whom the trail ends, said the Congress leader.

"People should know what action is being taken by the government. We have documents to show who are linked to these scams," Patole claimed.