The state government of Maharashtra, run by the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) comprising the NCP, Congress and Shiv Sena is split right in the middle on the question of how the vaccination of all eligible adults below the age of 45 is to be conducted in the state from May 1. This, after the state Health Minister Rajesh Tope, lamented Maharashtra’s inability to vaccinate all adults beginning Saturday due to an absence of required vaccine doses. While the NCP has already announced that the vaccination of all eligible adults in Maharashtra will be done free of cost, the Congress party is furious with its MVA partners.
On Sunday, senior NCP leader and minority affairs minister Nawab Malik had said that the state government has taken the decision to provide free vaccination to all above 18 years. He said the decision was taken during the state cabinet meeting last Tuesday with Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, who gave his nod for the same. The Shiv Sena too could not hold its horses, and Uddhav Thackeray’s son, Aaditya – who happens to be a cabinet minister had also tweeted about the Maharashtra government bearing the cost of the vaccination drive. However, he later deleted the tweet.
Congress views these statements by senior NCP and Shiv Sena leaders as an attempt to hog the credit for Maharashtra’s vaccination campaign. Congress leader and revenue minister Balasaheb Thorat on Monday expressed his discontent over the announcement, calling it an attempt of grabbing credit. “The Congress has been demanding free vaccination for all since the beginning. We have put up the demand with the CM, and as part of the cabinet, we are part of the deliberation over it. It is uncalled for to announce it for the sake of credit. The Congress is not happy over the unilateral announcement,” he said.
Another Congress leader was quoted by Hindustan Times as saying, “There is a coordination committee of senior leaders from all three ruling parties. The policy of free vaccination for all is being framed and the group has already had a couple of meetings over it. The CM wants it to be announced on May 1, Maharashtra Day, after formally discussing it in the cabinet meeting in the next two days. In such a backdrop, the premature announcement was uncalled for.”
Evidently, Congress feels that it is not being consulted on major decisions being taken by the government. It also fears not getting a fair share of the credit for the supposed free vaccination which is to commence in Maharashtra, since the NCP and Sena have taken to singularly issuing statements to the same effect – gaining a head start over the Congress.
Maharashtra has over 5 crore people in the age group of 18-44 years and, for their two-dose vaccine and taking wastage into account, according to Health Minister Rajesh Tope, 12 crore doses will be needed. Evidently, the state does not have such vast quantities of vaccines, which is why Tope said, “Availability of the vaccine is a big question; we can spend, but there are limited manufacturers who can supply.” Both SII and Bharat Biotech have reportedly informed states that they will be beginning deliveries for the largest phase of the vaccination drive only after May 15.