Patil says no candidate was threatened

Mumbai, Mar 13 (UNI) Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil today asserted that it was the wish of the people of Tasgaon to elect 12 zilla parishad and Panchayat samiti candidates unopposed and categorically stated there was no threat to any candidate to withdraw.

Talking to reporters, Mr Patil seeking to clarity the reason for the unanimous election, noted that in last assembly election, he polled 70,000 votes while his rival Sanjay Patil (Ind) got 66,000 and Shiv Sena nominee, a more 2100.

He said recently ending the 25 year old rivalry, Sanjay Patil joined NCP and that was the main reason for unopposed elections. Out of 12 wards, nine were of Panchayat samiti while three of Zilla Parishad.

When asked about the offence registered against him and why he did not resign on moral grounds for the same, Mr Patil said the complainant Panchakshari Jangam himself withdrew the complaint and so there was no question of other things.

He said when Sangli's SP of Sangli told him that there was a complaint against him, he immediately said that the complaint should be registered. ''This shows that Maharashtra police are impartial,'' he said.

UNI