BJP to launch agitation from August 9

Nagpur, June 22 (UNI) The BJP would launch an agitation Maharashtra from August 9 to highlight the alleged failures of the incumbent Democratic Front (DF) government, party General secretary Gopinath Munde said here today.

Speaking to newsmen, Mr Munde said the agitation would be launched with a ''Jail Bharo'' stir at August Kranti Maidan in Mumbai.

It would be followed by agitations all over the state highlighting issues of power shortage, corruption, inflation, law and order, farmers' suicides and rising debt.

The series of agitations would continue over the next two years till the assembly elections are held, and would mobilise public opinion against the DF government's abject failure on all fronts, he said.

The decision to launch the agitation was made during discussion on the political resolution at the meeting of the BJP state unit executive committee now in progress here, he said.

Mr Munde said Maharashtra had a debt of a whopping Rs 1,45,000 crore, which was much higher than Rs 36,000 crore mentioned in a white paper that the state government brought out last year.

The government proposed to raise another Rs 2,500 crore in loans through bonds in spite of the assurance in the white paper that no more debt would be created and finances would be improved by fiscal discipline and finding new sources of revenue, he added.

UNI