MUMBAI, July 15: Acting president of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee Ranjit Deshmukh, even as he bids farewell to his job, retained a sting in his tail.At a press briefing to bid adieu as state unit president, Deshmukh today lambasted the Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party government in Maharashtra for the misuse of funds in the special component plan of the Central government.The funds are expected to be used by state governments for the alleviation of the problems of farmers and rural areas. Deshmukh, however, pointed out that two ministers in the Maharashtra cabinet - Anna Dange, the Rural Development Minister and Jayprakash Mundada, the Co-operation Minister - had allotted the funds to themselves."At a time when farmers are committing suicide due to lack of financial support and even sugarcane farmers are in deep trouble due to lack of support price to cane, these two ministers have allocated funds from the special component plan to their own sugar factories," he said.Deshmukh hasdemanded an inquiry into the scam.The scandal might become a major issue at the monsoon session beginning next week, he has threatened.Later answering queries, Deshmukh said he expected a decision on the MLAs who signed on independent candidate Arun Mehta's nomination forms before the session begins. "By and large we expect the show cause notices to be withdrawn as the MLAs were not responsible for what happened. They had signed on blank nomination forms and that decision had been taken by me and the two leaders of the Opposition in consultation with Sharad Pawar. I have already accepted moral responsibility and resigned," he said.He said while the All India Congress Committee had been informed of the PCCs' support to two independent candidates in the Rajya Sabha and Legislative Council polls, the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee had not sought any formal permission from the AICC."Every state's leaders have that much authority. But I have already accepted moral responsibility for theoversight," he added.Meanwhile, there were indications today that the MPCC problem would be resolved before the commencement of the Assembly session. Deshmukh is believed to have recommended to the All India Congress Committee an early solution.This is in view of the fact that most of the ten MLAs show-caused are the party's firefighters in the Assembly and should not go into the session in a demoralised and unsure state of mind.
