Joshi pooh-poohs threat to State Govt

“My government has absolutely no threat,” the Chief Minister said and added that Sharad Pawar had made similar statements in the past also but could not pull down the government. When specifically asked about the independent MLAs, Joshi disclosed that Pawar had called their meeting at Baramati Hostel in Pune, which was attended by eight independent MLAs. “I have 25 independent MLAs. How they can think of pulling down my government?” he asked. The Chief Ministerridiculed Congress threats saying the Congress had no guts to table a single no confidence’ motion against the government in the past three years.

Describing the news reports in the press today that intelligence department had predicted a swing in favour of Congress as “untrue and misleading” Joshi said he had talked with Inspector General of Police Arvind Inamadar, who told him that the State police had not prepared any report on the elections.

“In fact, the feedback received by Inamdar indicated that the alliance would get 30 to 35 seats.”

Maintaining that Sonia Gandhi’s public rallies would not make any impact in Maharashtra, Joshi however admitted that the alliance leaders had taken note of her rallies. Joshi said the people of Maharashtra had realised that successive Congress governments had failed to solve their basic problems and added that voters in the State would vote for a stable government and for satisfactory performance of the alliance government.

Joshi praised Suresh Kalmadi forvarious development works initiated by him and described him as a dynamic representative. He appealed to the electorate to vote for him.