Lockdown in Maharashtra? CM Uddhav Thackeray to hold all-party meet; ministers bat for longer curbs

In view of the unprecedented spike in COVID-19 cases across the state, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will hold an all-party meeting on Saturday (April 10) to discuss the pandemic situation.

During the meeting, which will be held this afternoon, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government will take stock of the COVID-19 situation in the state. The meeting will be attended by prominent leaders of the three parties involved in the MVA government, leaders of BJP, leaders of MNS, API, SP, and others.

The state government has announced a 'strict lockdown' over the weekend which will start from 8 pm on Friday (April 9) and be in place till 7 am on Monday (April 12).

A night curfew has also been imposed in the state which will be in effect from 8 pm to 7 am daily. Essential services will be exempted from the restrictions.

Ministers Bat for longer lockdown:

As Maharashtra enters the first weekend lockdown of this year on Saturday, amid protests by traders and opposition by a few political parties, state ministers think the present situation of the state needs longer and stricter lockdown. Both health minister Rajesh Tope and relief and rehabilitation minister Vijay Wadettiwar on Friday said more restrictions are needed in the state, though they personally may not favour a lockdown.

On the same lines, Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope on Friday said a "complete lockdown" of two to three weeks is required in the state to improve the health infrastructure, PTI reported.

Maharashtra has been hit hard in the second wave of the pandemic, more than the first wave in last year. The state is seeing a steady rise in the number of daily infections and is now recording over 55,000 new infections daily. On Friday, the state reported 58,993 new infections.

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