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DNYANESH JATHAR
KOLHAPUR, Nov 11: Close on the heels of reports that seventeen independent MLAs are on their way back to the Congress, a banner of revolt has been raised by independent MLA from Kavathe Mahankal, Ajit Ghorpade, over the issue of Krishna waters. Yesterday, a senior MLA who led a group of independent MLAs to Delhi on Saturday had told The Indian Express: ``Don't take it as another kite-flying. We are disillusioned with the saffron alliance. We have decided to re-join the Congress.''
Coming out in the open against the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance government, Ghorpade told The Indian Express that independent MLAs from Krishna valley have given a 15-day deadline to the Joshi Government before they finally decide on withdrawing support if it fails to start the work of irrigation projects immediately.
Ghorpade said the Chief Minister had assured them that the works would be completed. ``He also made a public statement while addressing a rally in Atpadi. However, now it appears that they have turned their back and aretotally ignoring the projects,'' said Ghorpade adding that it was mainly on this issue that the independents won the elections.
Twenty two independent MLA's from Krishna valley are supporting the alliance government. Ghorpade said this was the second occasion when the independents have given such an ultimatum. ``Let us see if the Government heeds our warning,''he said.
Incidentally, Ghorpade's name also figures in the list of 17 independents, who are reportedly willing to return to the Congress camp. On this, Ghorpade who remained non-committal, said they did not want to give a political colour to the Krishna water issue. Although the reports of independent MLAs contemplating to desert the Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party government have been making rounds since the last elections to State Legislative Council, no tangible steps were taken in this direction, the MLA said.
``It's on the cards now,'' he added. A former member of Joshi Ministry, Sunil Kedar, who was dropped within less than one-and-a-halfyears after the change of guards in Mumbai, former vice-president of Maharashtra Krishna Valley Development Corporation Ramraje Naik Nimbalkar and Dhule MLA Rajwardhan Kadambande were stated to have taken lead in flying the contingent to New Delhi.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
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