Goa defeat result of errors of local leaders: Maha Cong chief

Yavatmal, Mar 10: Maharashtra Congress chief, Manikrao Thakre, on Saturday said here that the party's debacle in the assembly election in neighbouring Goa was the result of the errors of local leaders and the administration.

"It was because of lapses of local leaders and administration," he said. The Congress-led government could not retain power in Goa. Thakre refused to comment on Congress's bad performance in other states, saying that they were not in his purview.

Talking about the party's performance in Maharashtra, he said, "We have come to power in three municipal corporations this time, against one (Solapur) in the last election."

However, he admitted that calculations went wrong in Mumbai and Nagpur, adding that performance there was being reviewed. Thakre denied the reports that he and Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan had a closed door discussion with NCP supremo Sharad Pawar for seizing control of Yavatmal Zilla Parishad, where Congress has emerged as the single-largest party, but does not have absolute majority.

"I am sure that NCP's state-level and national leadership would not make a pact with non-secular parties," he said. Talking about ban on cotton export, he said a delegation from state Congress, headed by the CM, would meet the Prime Minister and seek lifting of the ban. Thakre admitted that cotton prices had crashed, leaving farmers saddled with huge stocks.

PTI