Panicky Cong, NCP pack MLAs out of the state

It is said the defection of the Congress MLA from Nandurbar, Padmakar Valvi, may have hastened their departure. Valvi switched sides under very curious circumstances.

CM Deshmukh said: ‘‘Yesterday he was present at the meeting of the Congress MLAs. He said he was going to the MLA hostel to bathe. After that we have not seen him.’’

‘‘This is the first time we had to resort to something like this. The Sena and BJP have stooped to such a level we can’t ensure safety of our numbers.’’

The MLAs, he said, had complained to him that they were promised Cabinet berths and aid if they supported the Opposition. Many of them, on condition of anonymity, said they even feared for their lives. ‘‘The Sena-BJP have gone crazy for power. They will even kill us for it,’’ said a MLA.

According to Congress sources, the saffron combine is concentrating on MLAs from the Vidharba and Marathwada regions who have continuously expressed their displeasure at the cut in budgetary allocation to their areas.

Commenting on the decision to move the MLAs, Ravi said: ‘‘This is dirty politics. A culturally rich state like Maharashtra should not witness such degeneration. At the Centre, the PM is seeking the help of the Congress to tackle terrorism and in Maharashtra his partymen are unleashing terror. Where is the logic?’’