Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters, Gadkari said that repeated statements made by Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal that the State was bankrupt were baseless. He said that Shiv Sena-BJP alliance government did not take even one overdraft in connection with the salaries of Government employees and was in a very good position to repay the loans taken for various schemes.

Gadkari lashed out at the Chief Minister for making contradictory statements. He said that on the one hand, Deshmukh announced State bonds to raise money, while on the other, he made statements about the bankruptcy of the State. Gadkari said that both Deshmukh and Bhujbal should withdraw their statements at once.

Gadkari hit out at Bhujbal for saying that the SrikrishnaCommission report would be revived. He said that if Bhujbal did so, he would only harm the law and order in the State and create communal differences.

He further pointed out that the recent decision of the Democratic Front Government to allocate Rs one crore towards the development of the cooperation sector was rather surprising, as the Government had decided to withdraw all funds towards irrigation projects.