Mah minister rubbishes Nand Lal's charges

Mumbai, Jan 23 (UNI) Maharashtra Agriculture Minister Balasaheb Thorat today denied allegations of State Election Commissioner (SEC) Nand Lal that Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh had tried to interfere in the delimitation of the Latur Assembly constituency.

''These allegations are false and baseless,'' Mr Thorat said in response to the reiteration of the charges by Mr Nand Lal in a letter to the Chief Minister dated January 19 asking him to pay for his tour to Pune and Kolhapur last month.

Mr Thorat, who was the Associate member of the Delimitation commission on behalf of the Congress party, said in a statement here that he had met Mr Nand Lal, who was the member of the commission, to discuss the nature of the work of the commission.

Besides, Associate members could make suggestions on behalf of their party and the commission had the final power to take a decision on the suggestions which were binding for all, he added.

UNI