NCP blasts Karnataka Govt's move to seek legal action against Patil

Mumbai, Sep 28 (UNI) The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) today took strong objection to Karnataka Government's reported move to seek legal action against Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil for making a speech at the ''parallel meet'' of the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) to protest against the special Legislature session being held in Belgaum.

Addressing a press conference here today, NCP spokesman Madan Bafna said the entire party was solidly behind Mr Patil who made a good speech to express solidarity with the Marathi speaking people of Belgaum who want to merge with Maharashtra.

''It is the Karnataka government which has rubbed salt on the wounds of Marathi speaking population by holding a special Legislature session in Belgaum when the long standing boundary dispute was pending in the Supreme Court'', Mr Bafna added.

The NCP has urged the Centre to intervene in the matter and the party will soon give a memorandum in this connection to Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh to be forwarded to the Prime Minister, he added.

He said Mr R R Patil had yesterday said that the demand to hold a special two-day session of the Maharashtra Legislature to discuss the boundary dispute would be looked into.

When asked about the demand of MNS president Raj Thackeray that NCP members of Parliament, including Sharad Pawar, should resign if they wish to show solidarity with the people of the border areas, Mr Bafna said the NCP will do all possible to resolve the issue.

There is no need of any resignations, he noted.

When asked about the criticism about Sharad Pawar's handling of the Agriculture Ministry, Mr Bafna said it was because of Mr Pawar that the Agriculture Ministry was getting its due as it was totally neglected during the NDA government. ''It is wrong to blame Pawarsaheb for the growing incidence of suicides by farmers. He is doing his best and even increased the credit limit to Rs 1.75 crore for farmers'', he added rejecting the criticism that Mr Pawar was more interested in BCCI affairs than agriculture.

Mr Bafna said the state executive NCP meeting scheduled on October 28 and 29 in Mumbai will be postponed till November. ''Fresh dates will be announced soon,''he added.

When asked whether the party would contest the forthcoming local bodies' polls in alliance with the Congress, Mr Bafna said NCP was ready to contest the elections on its own if its hand of poll friendship was not accepted by the coalition partner. ''Details of the coalition and seat adjustments would be discussed in the two-day state executive meeting'', he added.

UNI