BMC polls: Kamat accuses R R Patil of lying

Mumbai, Jan 29 (UNI) With the high profile Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls barely three days away, the Congress-NCP war of words continued with Mumbai Congress President Gurudas Kamat accusing Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil of telling lies.

Mr Kamat was reacting to Mr Patil's comments to a television channel that he was criticising him as he had not done the favour Kamat had approached him with.

The Deputy Chief Minister then had threatened to expose Kamat at the 'right time'.

Talking to reporters here today, Mr Kamat dared Patil to go ahead with his exposure immediately and also be prepared to face legal action.

''Mr Patil should immediately make public what favour did I ask from him which he could not do. I have differences with Patil over the handling of Khairlanji dalit murders and Malegaon bomb blasts probe by the police and this is nothing personal. My speaking about the issue of CBI probe in Malegaon bomb blasts has nothing to do with elections as I had given a letter to this effect to the Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh on December two, 2006,'' he added.

Mr Kamat said he was critical of Mr Patil for delaying justice to Muslims and Dalits. He also lamented that Mr Patil resorted to making baseless allegations.

Mr Kamat said he had met Patil at meetings of MPs. ''I have never been to Patil's office nor residence. I have never asked any Congress ministers for any favours so there is no question of approaching NCP ministers. I have never asked for illegal favours from anybody in my 34 years of public life,'' he added.

UNI