Pawar’s deputy clashes with him over UPA apathy

The sources said the argument ensued when Pawar ticked off Mandlik for having criticised the working of UPA at a meeting of all Maharashtra MPs at FICCI autditorium on Tuesday evening. An annual feature, this had been organised by the Maharashtra Government. With Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, Pawar and 45 Maharashtra MPs belonging to different parties present, Mandlik reportedly said things were better for them during the NDA regime. He complained of a ‘‘negative’’ response to any request from every UPA minister.

Pawar reportedly told Mandlik that he should not have made this remark when Shiv Sena and BJP MPs were around. Mandlik responded by saying: ‘‘Technically speaking, I can be faulted for this.’’ ‘‘But, what about my complaint?’’, he asked. Thereafter, he went on to claim that it was difficult for him to meet any minister. ‘‘I can’t meet even you,’’ he told Pawar, stressing that if he comes without an appointment, ‘‘then you get angry.’’

The NCP member offered to quit his seat saying ‘‘I came to Delhi (Lok Sabha) at your instance.’’ ‘‘Otherwise, what is here to hold us?’’ he asked. At this stage, other NCP leaders intervened to calm him down, reminding him of his old ties with Pawar. The NCP president offered to come to Kolhapur for a function on May 13 for his sake.

The meeting decided to invite Congress president Sonia Gandhi, RJD leader Laloo Prasad Yadav, LJP leader Ram Vilas Paswan and CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat to the Surat convention.

NCP corrects Rau on slum rehabilitation

: Ally NCP has caught Maharashtra Congress chief Prabha Rau on the wrong foot after her claim on Tuesday that the Democratic Front’s promise to regularise slums was a printing error. NCP general secretary D.P. Tripathi on Thursday refuted Rau’s view:‘‘Our joint manifesto has many printing errors, but this (cut-off date for regularisation of slums) is not one of them.”

‘‘Pawar sahib (NCP chief Sharad Pawar) had opposed a free supply of electricity to farmers,’’ Tripathy said. But as the promise is there in the joint manifesto, the NCP has not called it a printing error. It has only said it still has reservations on the issue.