Joshi still evasive on Srikrishna report

Welcoming the Opposition to participate in thecustomary tea party meeting on Sunday, Joshi said despite the fact the performance of the alliance was dismal in the mid-term polls, it will be a smooth sailing for his government in view of the likely cooperation of the Congress-led opposition parties.

Besides a series of bills, including ones regarding the controversial Mayor in Council for the Mumbai Municipal Corporation and the new Rent Act, his government would table a revolutionary women’s policy, Joshi stated.

Elaborating on the proposed rent act, Joshi said his government has already sought the permission of the Supreme Court to extend the term of the Rent Control Act. However, before the expiry of the existing legislation, his government would make all effort to bring in a new legislation within the SC deadline.

“If the new legislation, which will protect the interest of the tenants, is passed before the deadline, we will try to secure assent of the President before March 31. And if there is delay, we will bring it to the notice of theSupreme Court so that we will not face such a situation where there is no legislation on the Rent Control Act,” Joshi pointed out.

Again, Joshi denied the charge of the Opposition leaders that a large number of workers on the Employment Guarantee Scheme from Dhule district have migrated to the neighbouring Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat and that the alliance government was in financial crisis.

“Neither any of the workers have migrated nor my government is in financial crisis. I feel that it was the habit of the Opposition to make such baseless statements,” Joshi said.

Referring to a statement by Sena chief Bal Thackeray that Christians, neo-Buddhists and Muslims had distanced themselves from the Sena-BJP alliance leading to the saffron rout in the State, Joshi reiterated that his political mentor’s statement was based on the Congress campaign against the alliance.

“In its entire campaign, Congress created an impression that the alliance government was against the Dalits, Muslims and Christians, whichwas not true. In fact, the Congress was creating a rift between the minorities,” he added.

Replying to a question, Joshi said has dropped the reshuffle the cabinet before the session. “I will reshuffle the cabinet only after the budget session,” he said.

Deputy Chief Minister Gopinath Munde, who was also present at he press conference, observed that under the Sena-BJP rule, Maharashtra is the best administered state.