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Free power for farmers to be raised at next meeting of BJP-Sena panel

Maharashtra Chief Minister Manohar Joshi today said the issue of providing free electricity to farmers in the state would be discussed at the next meeting of the joint co-ordination committee of the Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party alliance, to be held soon.

Talking to reporters at Mantralaya in Bombay, Joshi said the matter came up for discussion at the meeting held late last night, but a final decision could not be reached as both parties were firm on their individual stands.

The chief minister refused to answer any questions regarding what transpired between leaders of the two alliance partners during the meeting. "The meeting was held in a cordial and pleasant atmosphere, why should I pollute it," he said.

Joshi said Sena chief Bal Thackeray wanted the deadlock on the issue to sorted out amicably. Asked whether he or Thackeray had discussed the issue of providing free electricity to farmers with Deputy Chief Minister Gopinath Munde, who holds the energy portfolio, Joshi said the Sena chief could issue any directive to the government and it would be adhered to.

Joshi said there was a passing reference to the remarks made by Munde this week attributing the rise in the crime graph in Bombay to him (Joshi) since he was in charge of the home department when Munde was on a month-long foreign tour.

The chief minister said senior BJP leader Pramod Mahajan had already regretted the remarks and hence the matter was closed from his (Joshi's) side.

Munde has also amended his statement in a local newspaper, besides admitting at last night's meeting that it is his responsibility to tackle the law-and-order situation.

About the long-awaited expansion of the council of ministers to inducting three more ministers of state, Joshi said the issue was discussed in the co-ordination committee and an announcement would be made shortly.

UNI

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