KOLHAPUR, NOV 12: Shiv Sena leader Raj Thackeray has challenged the Congress party to face the people of Maharashtra following its allegations of the Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party Government heading for bankruptcy.

``They (Congressmen) are free to come down on streets, agitate and win the elections,'' Thackeray junior told media-persons at Circuit House here on Tuesday blasting the Congress' claims about State exchequer being in the doldrums. He was in Kolhapur to offer prayers to goddess Mahalaxmi. After a few private visits, he addressed a public meeting later in the evening.

Raj lamented the Congress propaganda on the saffron government's financial situation. Maharashtra was still most preferred State by the investors, he claimed. No project except Ford Motors was shifted outside the State, he asserted. The Sena chief's high-profile nephew, however, took the opportunity to scoff at the media which he said was biased while reporting the Kini case.

He said the Shiv Udyog set up with the purpose to provide gainful employment to educated unemployed in Maharashtra, has received approval to open a credit society. Unemployed youths will receive funds from the credit society and branches of the society would be opened across the State for the welfare of youth.

Congress (I) leaders were making baseless and wrong charges against Shiv Udyog in frustration mood after losing power in State, he said and pointed out that the activities of Shiv Udyog are open for scrutiny by anyone who wishes to do so.

``It is senseless to level wild charges against the saffron alliance,'' he said and added that the alliance government had achieved at various levels in a short period of two-and-half years, where the Congress had failed miserably during its long rule since independence. ``We do not have any Mayawati or Kalyan, hence it would be rather difficult for Congress to start playing the tricky game of politics,'' he remarked.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.