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Deshmukh flies down to Bangalore

By Our Special Correspondent

BANGALORE JUNE 9. The Maharashtra Chief Minister, Vilasrao Deshmukh, who is desperately trying to save his beleaguered coalition, flew to Bangalore by a special plane this morning for a meeting with the MLAs of the Democratic Front, who have been brought here to ensure that they are not won over by the Shiv Sena-BJP Opposition.

Mr. Deshmukh was with the MLAs for over three hours at the Golden Palms Resort and Spa. He also called on Sathya Sai Baba at Whitefield.

Speaking to presspersons at the gates of the resort, Mr. Deshmukh ruled out the possibility of his stepping down. He claimed that the Congress high command had made it clear through the AICC general secretary, Vayalar Ravi.

Mr. Deshmukh asserted that he would have no problem in proving his majority on the floor of the Assembly on June 13. The Shiv Sena and the BJP were making exaggerated claims about the number of MLAs supporting them. They were desperate to return to power and were using money and muscle power to achieve their purpose, he alleged. Expressing the confidence that he would be able to retain the support of the Peasant and Workers' Party, the CPI (M) and the Republican Party, he said "we will prevail upon them ultimately.''

Mr. Deshmukh claimed that one of the Democratic Front MLAs, P. Valve, had issued a statement supporting the Shiv Sena-BJP, under duress. Mr. Valve had been "abducted and forced" to do so, the Chief Minister claimed, adding that he had complained to the Maharashtra Governor, P.C. Alexander. The MLA's life was "in danger," and the Director-General of Police would make inquiries to ascertain whether he had gone over to the Opposition camp voluntarily or under threat.

Asked why the MLAs had been flown to Bangalore if he was so confident of their loyalty, Mr. Deshmukh said it had been done to prevent "street fights" in Mumbai. The Shiv Sena-BJP combine was bent upon creating law and order problems in Mumbai to win over the MLAs. But he did not want to use police against the Opposition.

On why the MLAs of the Nationalist Congress Party (a constituent of the ruling combine) had been shifted from Indore to Bangalore, he said that it was "only to ensure that they stayed together." Bangalore was a "safe" place as the Congress was in power. He, however, denied that there was any lack of protection for the MLAs in Indore. As for him visiting the city, Mr. Deshmukh said it was to express his "solidarity" with the MLAs and interact with them.

The KPCC president, Allum Veerabhadrappa, and a good number of PCC office-bearers such as B. A. Hasanabba and Prakash Rathod, and the Ministers, D. K. Shivakumar, Roshan Baig and Veerakumar Patil, were present at the holiday resort when Mr. Deshmukh met the MLAs. According to Congress sources, Mr. Deshmukh met the MLAs in groups.

Journalists have been kept out of the resort since Saturday, following a statement given to a television network by an MLA blaming Mr. Deshmukh for the turn of events in Maharashtra.

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