Thackeray slams Pawar for criticising Congress

Mumbai, June 4 (IANS) Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray Monday slammed Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar for his recent criticism of the Maharashtra government.

Pawar had last week targeted the state Congress Party for what he termed as the collapse of the government's "decision-making process".

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief, without naming Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, said that on account of the dilly-dallying in taking major decisions, Maharashtra was losing out on big investments and mega-industrial projects.

In a sharp editorial on Monday in party mouthpiece Saamna, Thackeray questioned Pawar's motives behind the state government's criticism as the NCP is an ally of the ruling coalition.

"The point is, for whom is Pawar concerned, for the industrialists or the state's progress," Thackeray asked sarcastically.

The Sena chief also pointed out that if Pawar is so disenchanted with the Congress, then why is the NCP remaining in the coalition and not walking out.

"When he (Pawar) is aware that the decision-making process in the state government has come to a standstill, then why has he still stuck on to power," Thackeray asked.

He pointed out that if somebody sticks on to an unhappy alliance, then it implies that the person has some shortcomings.

Last weekend, at a part conclave in Mumbai, Pawar had cited the instance of Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. which signed an agreement with the Gujarat government to set up its new Rs.4,000-crore manufacturing facility in Mehsana district of the neighbouring Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled state.

Pawar also pointed out that the Maharashtra headquartered automobile major Mahindra & Mahindra had chosen to build its new manufacturing plant in Tamil Nadu instead of setting it up in this state.

Thackeray said that besides these two companies, several others have either shut shop in the state or moved to states like Gujarat, Chhattisgarh and Himachal Pradesh.

In fact, he pointed out that Maharashtra now ranks lower than Bihar in terms of new investment proposals or mega-projects.

This has directly hit the state's economy, affected its progress and taken away jobs of the Marathis here, he pointed out.

"However, (Chief Minister) Chavan is not concerned at all. And since Pawar continues to criticise the state government and his party continues to share power with the Congress, nobody takes him seriously," Thackeray said.