Associate BJP MLA serves ultimatum to Govt

KOLAHPUR, Nov 23: Close on the heels of independent MLAs from western Maharashtra issuing an ultimatum to the ruling saffrom combine over fu...

KOLAHPUR, Nov 23: Close on the heels of independent MLAs from western Maharashtra issuing an ultimatum to the ruling saffrom combine over fulfilling its tall promises, it is now Madhukar Kamble, an associate MLA of the Bharatiya Janata Party in the State Assembly, to pull the rug. Kamble represents the Jat reserved constituency in neighbouring Sangli district. He told The Indian Express today that he may withdraw his support to the SS-BJP government, if it fails to commence work on the sixth phase of Mhaishal irrigation project in the Krishna valley by January 26.

The discontent among independent MLAs over the State’s dilly-dallying to give its Rs 1500 crore share for the Rs 10,000 crore Krishna valley projects, seems to be snowballing. Within a span of ten days three independents from Sangli have warned the government over withdrawing support on the issue of Krishna waters.

First it was Ajit Ghorpade from Kavathe Mahankal who openly aired his dissatisfaction over the performance of the Government and doubted its commitment to complete the irrigation projects.

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He followed by Rajendra Deshmukh from Khanapur and now it is the turn of Madhukar Kamble from the parched plains of Jat.

Speaking to this paper over the telephone from his farm dwelling, Kamble maintained that his support to the Government was issue based. “I supported the SS-BJP, on the condition that it solves the perennial water problem faced by the Jat taluka,” he said.

The bhoomi poojan of the sixth phase of Mhaishal lift project was performed at Kanthi in Jat taluka on June 23 last year. However, even after one-and-a-half years, the Government had failed to start the work. Worried over the delay, Kamble said he would may consider joining the bunch of independents withdrawing support to the government. He would wait till January 26, he said.

Seeing it as a final resort Kamble also has a plan to call on Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackaray in the next week. “I will lead a delegation from my constituency and see if he (Thackeray) can do something to end our water woes,” Kamble said.

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However, political observers here pointed out that Kamble had hosted a rally of Republican Party of India MP Ramdas Athawale in Jat taluka, barely twenty days ago on November 2. They felt that Kamble was developing a rapport with the RPI, although he himself pooh-poohed the reporters. Both, Kamble and Athawale met on November 2 and reportedly had discussed an array of issues ranging from Krishna waters to the Borgaon incident in which a Dalit colony was burnt. Kamble maintained that his meeting with Athawale was merely a part of his “social commitments”, and that he had no plans to join any party in particular, at last for the time being. Earlier, Congress MLA from Tasgaon R.R. Patil recently called upon his independent colleagues in the State Assebly to join a “people’s movement” rather than supporting an inert saffrom combine government which, he said, has failed to resolve the Krishna waters issue.

Meanwhile, political observers in Sangli witnessed a distinct rift between the independent MLAs in Sangli over withdrawing of support to the Government. Minister of State Shivajirao Naik and MLA from Bhilawadi Wangi Pruthwiraj Deshmukh, known for his proximity to Chief Minister Manohar Joshi’s son, have been stated to be the staunch supporters of the saffron alliance while rest of the three independent MLAs have already come out in the open against the SS-BJP, especially over the issue of Krishna waters.