PM Modi, reply!: Congress lashes out at BJP over Hegde's welfare funds remark

New Delhi: Congress on Monday sought a reply from Prime Minister Narendra Modi over comments made by BJP MP and former Union minister Ananth Kumar Hegde regarding BJP's 3-day government in Maharashtra.

Hegde on Monday described the government formation by the BJP as a 'drama', to 'protect' Rs 40,000 crore central funds under the CM's control from being 'misused'.

Hitting out at the BJP, Randeep Surjewala, media head of the Congress, demanded a reply from the Prime Minister.

"A UnionMminister opened the pandora's box of Modi government, BJP's anti-Maharashtra face has been unmasked. Was the federal structure being trumped? Was Rs 40,000 crore of the welfare funds meant for the welfare of the public and the farmers withdrawn due to a conspiracy? Prime Minister, Reply!" Surjewala tweeted on Monday.

Fadnavis was sworn in by Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari in a hush-hush ceremony on November 23 for a second term after stunning midnight developments where NCP's Ajit Pawar had revolted against his party and propped up the government with BJP.

However, three days later, Fadnavis resigned as chief minister ahead of the floor test, admitting he does not have the numbers shortly after his deputy Ajit Pawar quit the government.

Subsequently, on November 28, Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray took oath as the new Chief Minister of Maharashtra, heading an unlikely alliance of the Sena, the NCP and the Congress.

The Shiv Sena broke up its three-decade alliance with the BJP over sharing of the chief minister's post after contesting the assembly elections together and the combine winning a comfortable majority.