SATARA, January 29: The Congress party in Maharashtra has challenged the Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray that "nobody can stop Sonia Gandhi from touring in the state as it is not anyone's jagir." Congress, incidentally, has decided to make the entry of its star campaigner Sonia Gandhi a major plank in the ensuing elections against the ruling Shiv Sena-BJP alliance.The Congress party's challenge has come in the wake of Thackeray's recent statement that his party will not allow Sonia Gandhi to travel in Maharashtra.Congress party came down heavily on Thackeray for use of abusive language against Sonia Gandhi during party's electoral rally at Aurangbagad.
Launching the party's election campaign in the historic city here at the well-attended rally, Maharashtra strongman Sharad Pawar on Wednesday evening said that Sonia Gandhi hails from a family which has made several sacrifices for the nation. "Sonia Gandhi has entered into the campaigning without any ambition for the post." He asked Thackeray whatsacrifices he or his family has made for the nation.
Leader of opposition in the state council, Chhagan Bhujbal, assailed Thackeray and termed him "coward." He said that Thackeray cannot leave Maharashtra for campaigning. Pawar attacked the Sena-BJP alliance rule in Maharashtra and said that the prices of essential commodities have reached a new height and the state was on the verge of bankruptcy. "There was a rampant corruption which is on in the implementation of zhunka-bhakar scheme and development of Krishna Valley," he added.
Pawar also blamed the United Front government for present slide in the exports and added that it has also miserably failed in the exports and added that it has also miserably failed to attend to the problems faced by farmers, poor and weaker sections of the society. "Congress is the only party which can provide a stable government and give priority for upliftment of the downtrodden."
The Congress leader strongly defended his party's decision to withdraw its support to the UFgovernment on the Jain Commission issue. "Congress wanted that the party whose involvement was figured in the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi should be droped from the government as it was turned down by the UF, if was left with no alternative but to withdraw support," he said.
In fact, Pawar said that his party should not be blamed for taking the country to the general elections. He added that the UF and the BJP which made all out efforts to form the government through horse-trading and going for unethical methods should be questioned for causing instability in the country. Pawar criticised the BJP for dividing the country on the basis of castes and religion and exhorted the people to defeat it during the coming elections. "Congress should be voted for stability, equality and prestige."
Pawar announced candidature of Chhatrapati Shivaji's direct descendent Abhaysinhraje Bhosale from Satara, Prithviraj Chavan from Karhad, Sadashiv Mandlik from Kolhapur, Ashok Mohol from Khed and Madan Patil from Sangli.Pawar will contest from Baramati. Bhosale will take on Sena candidate Hindurao Naik Nimbalkar who had defeated the Congress nominee Prataprao Bhosale in the 1996 elections. Bhosale's nephew Udayanraje Bhosale has already joined the BJP. Bhosale, who has won the assembly elections since 1978, has been unanimously nominated to take on the alliance which has been making all-out efforts to make a serious dent in western Maharashtra, the stronghold of Congress.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
