Pawar was here to inaugurate an ambitious computer literacy programme titled `YashNet', to cover students of 22,000 schools in the State. In an informal chat with presspersons, he reacted to the statement made by Jayalalitha last Saturday after the crucial party meeting empowering her to seek new political allies. Jayalalitha had termed her party as the engine pulling the Vajpayee Government and had described the Prime Minister as the engine driver. She had also warned that the driver could be replaced anytime and the engine could be attached to any other train.

Asked whether he would like such an `engine' to be attached to his train, Pawar remarked, ``Any type of engine will do. What matters more is the skill of the driver''. He, however,refused to elaborate, saying the political situation at New Delhi was fluid. He also parried questions regarding the fate of the Vajpayee Government and also about working out an alternative in case of an early fall of the present government.

According to him, only one thing seemed certain in the fast-changing political situation. The Opposition would insist on the setting up of a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to enquire into the dismissal of Naval chief Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat. With the AIADMK making its stand clear on the issue, it is almost certain that a JPC would be set up, he said, pointing out the AIADMK had decided to vote in the Parliament in support of the demand for a JPC.

When his attention was drawn towards Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's statement that no specific charges were made out in this case, Pawar recalled that a JPC was constituted in the Bofors case, when no specific charges were levelled. The then Opposition parties were relying on a news broadcast by Hong Kong radio,he said.

Pawar was also firm on holding a debate on the issue on April 15 and 16 in Parliament. The Government must explain the reasons behind the Naval chief's dismissal within days of installing him as the head of the committee comprising the three defence chiefs. The debate would also focus on the charges levelled by Bhagwat, he said.

Pawar also refused to comment on State politics. He confined himself to saying that State's economy was in a shambles and the Government that would be installed after the forthcoming elections would be required to take some harsh decisions to bring it back on rails.

Asked to comment on the High Court directive for a Central Bureau of Investigation enquiry into the controversial deal between PPIL and MSEB, he merely said he had not studied the issue in detail.