February 25: The repertoire included the usual elements: Pakistan-bashing, assurances to tenants and owners of sick industrial units and potshots at the country's most famous widow. Chief Minister Manohar Joshi lent ample campaign colour to a rally held in Kalyan on Tuesday in support of the BJP-supported Sena candidate and sitting Lok Sabha MP Prakash Paranjpe.At the rally, attended by other party bigwigs like Rajya Sabha MP and state BJP vice-president Ram Kapse and state Tourism Minister Jagannath Patil, the CM announced the state's decision to go public with the names of those connected with the Mumbai bomb blasts and who enjoyed a close relationship with former chief minister B R Antualy. He dismissed Antulay's threat to file a criminal suit against Joshi linking him to the blast accused, saying, ``This is a democratic country and he is free to knock the court's door.''
Joshi also dished out sympathy to industrialists in the area who are shutting shop due to the high octroi rates levied here.Admitting that non-uniformity in octroi rates had caused problems, he said, ``We plan to work toward a uniform rate for the whole state immediately after the polls.''He scoffed at the Congress campaign against the government on the Rent Control Act, saying, ``How can Shivshahi go against the common man's interests?'' And like the BJP, which claims it is unmoved by the Sonia Gandhi wave, Joshi too took potshots at the ``widow'', saying ``I am neither good looking nor am I a widow who is using her widowhood to gain votes.''
He also came out strongly for owners of sick industrial units. ``If the units are unprofitable, how can owners meet unions' demands for pay hikes?'' As the audience failed to be suitably enthused, he then switched to a cherished Sena stunt: Pak-bashing. Holding up Israel as an example which ``has been able to hold its own in spite of being surrounded by Muslim countries'' he said: `` We should go to war with Pakistan and teach it a lesson for all time.''
The issue of villagessurrounding Kalyan which are resisting amalgamation into the Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation would be resolved after he perused the findings of a report by a committee headed by Thane guardian minister Ganesh Naik, which was submitted on Monday, he stated. These ten villages have been boycotting the elections en masse since 1991.
``I am confident that the problem can be resolved through negotiations,'' he said. Interestingly, the latest entrant to the BJP, Rajaram Salwi, who is also chairperson of the Gramin Sangharsh Samiti which is spearheading the villagers' struggle, has asked the villagers to keep away from this election as well. ``I will ask Salwi's leaders in Delhi to speak to him on the issue,'' stated the CM.
The surprise guest was, however, state environment minister Ganesh Naik, who was seen sharing the dais with his bete noire, Anand Dighe. Sena sources revealed that this bonhomie is a result of a diktat from Matoshree to Naik and Dighe to bury the hatchet till the polls are over.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
