Mumbai, Jul 13 (IANS): The Maharashtra Congress on Thursday said that the state government has come to a total standstill owing to squabbles among the power-hungry ruling allies and demanded immediate imposition of President's Rule. 

Addressing the media here, state Congress President Nana Patole said that the political atmosphere in the state is muddied, the administration has halted and the government is paralysed, leading the people totally in the wind.

"All this is due to the power-hungry attitude of the Bharatiya Janata Party. The legislators of the ruling Shiv Sena and (breakaway) Nationalist Congress Party are busy fighting to get the cream of the crop while the masses and the farmers are suffering everywhere," said Patole.

"The situation is like the 'Alibaba and 40 Thieves', and here public money is being looted. We appeal to the Governor and the President to intervene," Patole demanded.

He pointed at the ongoing 'political tamasha' (spectacle) perpetrated by the BJP that has brought a bad name to the state and its glorious traditions, while the Centre is trying to crush the Opposition with the fear of central investigating agencies.

"The ordinary people are not concerned about these fights over who should get the plum departments. There are burning problems like inflation, unemployment and the farmers are facing a sheer crisis, in some parts sowing has not started while in other regions there is a probe of double-sowing owing to the monsoon vagaries," Patole said.

He said the Congress will raise these public issues in the upcoming monsoon session of the legislature and again sought President's Rule to end the political uncertainties reigning here since the past few days.

Slamming the ongoing imbroglio, senior party leader Vijay Wadettiwar also said that the government is full of 'self-serving gluttons' who are trying to grab the maximum power without any care for the suffering masses or their welfare.