Mumbai, July 16: Protesting increasing atrocities on Dalits in Maharashtra and annoyed over the behaviour of ruling Democratic Front legislators, Chief Minister Sushilkumar Shinde was today understood to have threatened to resign. Sources in Congress, the lead partner of the alliance, said Shinde, the first Dalit Chief Minister of the state, told a joint meeting of MLAs belonging to DF constituents that "if atrocities against Dalits continue, then what is the point of my continuing to be the chief minister". The chief minister was also apparently irked over the pressure sought to be put on him by the MLAs to get work done in their constituencies, said one of the MLAs who attended the meeting.
Shinde reportedly told the meeting "if the MLAs do not mend their ways, then i will be compelled to step down". His threat to resign came in the wake of Ccongress MLA Amar Kale`s dharna in the state assembly house to highlight drinking water problems in his constituency Arvi in Vidarbha region. Bureau Report