No need for CM`s apology on Ajit Pawar`s crass remarks: MPCC

Mumbai: The Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) President Manikrao Thakre on Wednesday said that there was no need to drag Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan into the controversial remarks of his Deputy Ajit Pawar on drought and loadshedding.

Thakre rejected the Opposition demand for Chavan`s apology for the same. "Ajit Pawar has apologised thrice for his mistake. The matter should end there itself. There is no need for the Chief Minister to apologise," he told reporters. The MPCC chief also denied charges that Congress had stayed "silent" and enjoyed NCP`s discomfort over the episode. "The issue was very serious. There was no question of Congress speaking in support. There was no option but to stay silent. Its wrong to say that it was deliberate. NCP is our alliance partner and we are together in government," he added. Last week, Pawar made insensitive remarks regarding a farmer`s protest at Indapur saying, "there is this person from Solapur, sitting on hunger strike for 64 days demanding water be released from the dam. But where are we going to get water from? Should we urinate?" Meanwhile, welcoming the decision of the government to withdraw the earlier bill of self-financing private universities, Thakre said the government has to allow equal opportunities to poor in higher education. Thakre said a two-day state level spokesmen workshop will be held from April 12 in Navi Mumbai. Senior leaders Mukul Wasnik, AICC Secretary Mohan Prakash, Industries Minister Narayan Rane, AICC spokesmen Rashid Alvi and Shakeel ahmed will address the workshop. Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and Union Minister Rajiv Shukla will address the valedictory session. PTI