Maharashtra Political Crisis and Presidential Election 2022: The Congress party has linked the political crisis of Maharashtra with the presidential election. The Congress party on Thursday alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the central government were playing a "game" to destabilize the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra to garner numbers in the presidential election.

Senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge also said that Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut may have given a statement regarding the possibility of his party's exit from the Maha Vikas Aghadi government so that his MLAs can return and present their point to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

Mallikarjun Kharge told reporters, "BJP is trying a lot to topple the Maharashtra government. Shiv Sena MLAs were first taken to Surat and then to Guwahati. This is BJP's game. The Maha Vikas Aghadi government is a strong government, but the BJP is trying its best to destabilize it.

Kharge alleged, "BJP wants no non-BJP government to exist. They need numbers in the presidential election. Because of this, they want to topple the government at the time of this election as well. The central and BJP government is fully responsible for this situation.

Mallikarjun Kharge said, 'We want to say on behalf of the Congress party that all three of us will stay together and strengthen the Maha Vikas Aghadi. So whatever is needed, we will do that. On Sanjay Raut's statement, Kharge said, 'Maybe he did this to get his point across. The Maha Vikas Aghadi government has been formed for the development of Maharashtra. This government is developing. If those people (rebel MLAs of Shiv Sena) come back, then they will be able to put their point before the Chief Minister.

Significantly, amid revolt by Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde, party MP Sanjay Raut on Thursday said that if the group of rebel MLAs camping in Assam return to Mumbai in 24 hours and discuss the matter with Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, then Shiv Sena is all set to leave the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra.

Earlier, Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi told reporters in response to a question related to the political developments in Maharashtra, "We have faith in Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. We are in touch with our colleagues from Maharashtra. We are sure that the BJP's intention to topple a stable government and bring the state into instability will not succeed.

"At a time when there is flood in Assam, farmers and youth are suffering, there is corruption in many places, then BJP is trying to divert attention from these issues," he claimed. Significantly, the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in the state is in trouble after several Shiv Sena MLAs, led by Maharashtra minister Eknath Shinde, rebelled. Congress is also a part of this government.