Lauding veteran Anantrao Thopate for his contribution in developing the state and the party, chief minister Prithviraj Chavan on Saturday said that the Congress needs Thopate to rejuvenate its Pune district unit.
He was speaking at a function held to felicitate Thopate on his 81st birthday held at Bhor. MPCC president Manikrao Thakre, senior ministers Patangrao Kadam, Harshawardhan Patil, MLAs Babanrao Shinde, Sangram Thopate, journalist Ashok Wankhede, Congress district unit president Devidas Bhansali were present.
Chavan said that Thopate was sure to become chief minister after 1999 assembly elections, but he was kept busy by the high command in distribution of tickets and also ignored his constituency for a month. He said it was he who provided leadership after Sharad Pawar had deserted the party in 1998-99. Chavan recalled that it was Thopate who organised a massive rally of party prtesident Sonia Gandhi at Bhor, which was a show of strength for the party after Pawar left.
Thakre also urged Thopate to contribute for party work and guide the party workers all over the state. Thopate expressed gratitude towards people of Bhor and partymen for his long political career and reminded that he was always a party loyalist and would remain so forever.Reminsing that the Delhi journalist Wankhede has expressed the fear of spread of Aam Adami Party, Patangrao Kadam said there was no fear of AAP in Maharashtra.
CM questions decision to import sugar
Without naming union minister for agriculture Sharad Pawar, chief minister Prithviraj Chavan on Saturday criticised the decision to import sugar despite good production last year.
He was speaking after unveiling the statue of pioneer of cooperatives Padmashree Vitthalrao Vikhe-Patil at Sakhar Sankul. He said there was a scam worth Rs5,500 crore despite the fact that there was no sugar in godowns.
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