Cong forms 15-member panel to take on govt in monsoon session

"Corruption" by former state revenue minister Eknath Khadse will be on the "top priority" of Congress to corner BJP-led government in upcoming session of state Legislature with the party forming a 15-member panel of legislators to chalk out the strategy to be adopted on the floor of both Houses.
The party has designated four former ministers to dwell upon issues which they had handled during the previous Congress-NCP government.
"Former Revenue Minister and senior BJP leader Eknath Khadse's corruption will be on top priority of the party," said former MPCC president Manikrao Thakre.
Congress state unit president Ashok Chavan said Congress has decided to follow the central parliamentary system of the party at the state level.

"In Delhi, Sonia ji (party president Sonia Gandhi) holds a meeting of party's MPs before every session of Parliament. We discuss issues to be raised in the session. Similarly, our Legislative Party members will meet before the session to decide our strategy," he said.
The responsibilities were assigned to the members in the first meeting of the committee held at Vidhan Bhavan yesterday which was attended by the Leader of Opposition in Legislative Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, former chief ministers Prithviraj Chavan and Narayan Rane, Thakre, and others.

"We have decided that our former ministers will raise issues concerning the portfolios they had handled," Chavan said.

He said while Prithviraj Chavan is an expert on issues concerning urban development, Vikhe Patil could raise agriculture related issues.
"Balasaheb Thorat will raise revenue-based issues. Other members will also get opportunity to speak on various issues," Chavan said.
Some of the issues planned by Congress to be raised during the session beginning from July 18 are Khadse's alleged corruption, increase in farmers' suicide, government's failure in handling drought etc.