Mumbai, Jun 12 (PTI) Newly-appointed Union minister and Shiv Sena leader Prataprao Jadhav on Wednesday said the Opposition was spreading rumours that the BJP-led NDA government will collapse midway because they fear that their own MPs will abandon them.
Jadhav asserted the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has 21 more Lok Sabha MPs than the majority mark of 272 in the 543-member house, and with the backing of independents this number has gone up to 305.
He was talking to reporters after paying respect at the memorial of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray here during his first visit to Mumbai after taking oath on June 9.
"The Opposition is spreading rumours that the government will collapse out of fear that their MPs will leave them. They (the Opposition) are showing fear (to MPs) that we have to again face polls," noted the Shiv Sena MP from Buldhana in eastern Maharashtra.
Jadhav on Monday assumed charge as the Minister for Ayush (Independent charge) and Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, his maiden innings in the central government.
"It is a fact that two to three Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs have openly expressed displeasure due to the pains suffered in the polls, and non-cooperation from seniors. Privately, they (Shiv Sena UBT MPs) say 'we were just given tickets and left high and dry'," Jadhav claimed.
Last week, Shiv Sena MP from Thane Naresh Mhaske had claimed two Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs were in touch with his party, which is headed by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
The Shiv Sena (UBT), led by former CM and Shinde's arch political rival Uddhav Thackeray, has nine MPs in the Lok Sabha.
Jadhav urged quota activist Manoj Jarange to withdraw his hunger strike, which entered the fifth day on Wednesday, and advised him to show some patience as the government was looking into the concerns of the Maratha community.
He pointed out that the Eknath Shinde-led government has given a 10 per cent reservation to the Maratha community in Maharashtra in jobs and education and added the quota law enacted in February will stand the test of law.
Besides this, 54 lakh to 57 lakh Kunbi records have been traced and certificates issued to Maratha community members (giving them OBC status which will allow them to avail quota benefits), the Union minister maintained.
Kunbis, an agrarian community, are included among the Other Backward Classes (OBC) in Maharashtra.