Ranjit Deshmukh raises banner of revolt in Nagpur ZP polls

Nagpur, Mar 3 (UNI) Former Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) President Ranjit Deshmukh has raised the banner of revolt against the party in the March 11 elections to the Nagpur Zilla Parishad (ZP) by floating his 'Kisan Vikas Aghadi' party, which will contest the polls on the issue of farmers' problems.

Speaking to newspersons here last evening, Mr Deshmukh described the front as 'non-partisan and non-political' and formed in the wake of Congress' ''ineffectiveness'' to address the problems of farmers in the region.

The front would support candidates committed to the cause of farmers in all the 59 ZP and 118 Panchayat Samiti (PS) constituencies in Nagpur district, Mr Deshmukh said. ''We will support such candidates irrespective of their political affiliation.

They may be Independent or may belong to any party. Their ideology will not be a hindrance. The only condition is their commitment to farmers,'' he added.

The candidates supported by the front will have to make an affidavit that if elected, they would raise the problems of farmers in the House, the former Maharashtra minister said.

Mr Deshmukh released the first list of the 25 candidates whom the front was supporting in the polls. The list of the remaining candidates would be released soon, he said.

The front would concentrate on the elections in Nagpur district at present, Mr Deshmukh added.

UNI