Pawar backs Vidarbha demand

“Vidarbha statehood is a part of their election manifesto, not ours,” he said, reacting to the BJP leaders’ statement that if the Congress moved a Bill in the State legislature, BJP legislators would support it. “The BJP has no moral right to give us such advice,” he retorted.

However, he made it clearthat if the Congress chief, Sonia Gandhi favours the Vidarbha statehood issue then they would certainly not oppose it. The issue is likely to figure in the next Congress Working Committee meeting for discussion and consideration, he informed. The Maratha strongman did not agree that he was given a secondary position even after the commendable performance of his party in Maharashtra in the just concluded Lok Sabha elections under his leadership. “I was number two even before the elections and it was decided by all that we should unanimously support Soniaji. I was myself behind the move,” he said.

Ghauri no threat

Pawar said that Pakistan’s testing of the Ghauri missile did not pose any threat to the country’s security. He said that the Pakistani missile tested was based entirely on Chinese technology. However, India had nothing to worry as it was far ahead of Pakistan in missiles.