Munde to launch 'Goda Parikrama' from August 31

Mumbai, Aug 25 (UNI) Senior BJP leader Gopinath Munde would start an 18-day 'Goda Parikrama' from August 31 during which he will tour the area on the banks of Godavari river highlightling how the government was responsible for the recent floods in Marathwada which inundated more than 400 villages.

Mr Munde told reporters that the Parikrama will start from Paithan and would culminate on September 17 - the Marathwada Mukti din - at Shahagad in Ambad. State BJP chief Nitin Gadkari will be present at the launch of the Parikrama, he added.

He said the Parikrama will visit 200 villages of five districts Auraqngabad, Nanded, Jalna, Parbhani, and Beed of Marathwada region and cover a total distance of 1,500 km during this Parikrama.

Mr Munde said the main demands during this programme will Rs 25,000 compensation per hectare for crop damage on the lines of compensation given to quake-affected people of Latur.

He said the government should also fix the norms of releasing water from the dams, which he said was the major reason for the floods during this year. He said party MLCs Pasha Patel and Shrikant Joshi would accompany him during this Parikrama.

He criticised the Congress leaders for getting involved in party infighting even when the state was facing the flood fury.

When asked whether BJP would raise the demand of separate Vidarbha against the backdrop of the stand taken by Telanganga Rashtra Samiti on the demand for separate Telangana, Mr Munde said, ''State BJP had demanded seperate Vidarbha state long back. But the proposal to divide the state has to be ratified from respective Legislative Assembiles.'' BJP's ally Shiv Sena is a staunch opponent of division of Maharashtra.

Further replying a query on his chances of going to central level politics, he said, ''Right now the internal elections of the BJP was going on and so if any change has to take place, it would take place in October.'' He maintained that he was interested in continuing in state politics but added that he would take up any work which the party would ask him to do.

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