Bhosale will rejoin in 8 days: Munde

Bhosale had quit the post demanding a CBI inquiry into assets and wealth of irrigation department secretary R G Kulkarni. The issue snowballed into a controversy as Irrigation Minister Eknath Khadase challenged Bhosale8217;s resignation by declaring that he did not hold the post as his tenure in the office had ended.

Munde on Sunday sought to put an end to the controversy stating that Bhosale will be reappointed in eight days. He however evaded a query on Bhosale8217;s demand for a CBI inquiry. 8220;I have just received the letter of resignation, which does not mention anything regarding CBI inquiry. I do not know if he has sent another letter,8221; he said Munde.

On Sharad Pawar attending a farmers8217; rally hosted by Munde8217;s bete noire in the party, MLA Vimal Mundada at Ambejogai in Beed district and Pawar vowing not to wear a pheta turban till Congress comes to power in the Beed district, the Deputy Chief Minister said Pawar would never get an opportunity to wear a pheta. 8220;He is well aware that most of the Congressmen in Beed attend his rallies during the day and get in touch with me behind him,8221; he claimed.

Stating that second phase of Enron project had been approved, he accused Pawar of lying to the people over the issue of rate of the dollar at the time of agreement signed by Pawar government. 8220;Pawar says that the dollar cost Rs 28 when his government signed aggrement with Enron, but this is an outright lie. I have papers to prove that the prevalent rate of dollar during that time was Rs 32. Besides, now we are 30 percent partners in Enron. I have three members on their board of directors. So even if the rate of dollar goes up we will be benefitted,8221; he explained.

Answering a query over import of sugar, he dared Pawar to inform people if any Congress government had increased import duty on sugar. 8220;In fact it was the BJP government that hiked the import duty by five percent,8221; he said.

Religious institutions belonging to every community will be given full protection, he said when pointed out that the recent Vishal Hindu Sammelan at Peth in Nashik had vowed to drive Christian missionaries out from Adivasi belts in Nashik. 8220;I assure complete safety of religious institutions of minorities. At the same time conversions of poor people taking disadvantage of their poverty has also been banned by law,8221; he said.

He also reiterated that law and order situation in the state was perfectly well and State Government had not taken any decision to provide free power supply to the farmers.