Centre should take stand in favour of Maharashtra:Bafna

Mumbai, Aug 31 (UNI) The NCP today said the Union Government should take a stand in favour of Maharashtra in the border dispute between Maharashtra and Karnataka.

''We will pursue this issue at the Centre'', party spokesman Madan Bafna told reporters here.

He said the NCP had always stood by the people living in Belgaum and other disputed areas of Karnataka.

Welcoming the state government's move to reimburse the fees of backward class students studying in private colleges, he said now the government should increase the facilities and concessions to the economically backward class students also.

On the Vande Mataram issue, he said the Shiv Sena-BJP was left with no real issues and therefore they were raking such issues. He said there cannot be a compulsion on the Vande Mataram issue.

Regarding the government's proposal to increase property tax and make additions in value-added-tax in place of octroi, Mr Bafna said octroi should go with a proper alternative and without causing any sort of burden on the common man.

Speaking about the recently appointed chairman of boards and corporations, Mr Bafna said there were nearly 200 aspirants, out of which 24 could get the posts. He, however, said there was no dissidence on this issue in the party. He also said the representatives of RPI(A) will be adjusted while appointing the chairmen of the remaining boards.

Mr Bafna pointed out that in 2004, the NCP forfeited it's claim to the Chief Ministership and agreed to settle for two more Ministries and four corporations intead. He said now even though the position of the Congress has strenghtened, the criteria of 2004 should be applied.

UNI JM WD RL HS1940