Declare Maha-K'taka disputed border region a UT: Thackeray

Mumbai, Jan 27 (IANS) Demanding a "time-bound programme" to resolve the complicated boundary row between his state and Karnataka, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday reiterated his plea to declare the disputed border areas as a Union Territory till the final verdict of the Supreme Court."What has happened has happened... Now we have to fight and win... We will have to work for this in a time-bound programme," said Thackeray, who is also President of the Shiv Sena, which is espousing the cause of the Marathi-speaking people in the border areas since years.Hie remarks came at the release of book "Maharashtra-Karnataka Seemavad: Sangharsh Ani Sankalp (Maharashtra-Karnataka Boundary Dispute: Struggle & Pledge)", a 530-page treatise penned by Dr Deepak Pawar.Present on the occasion were all members of the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi, the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party and representatives of Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti - and all raised a united voice on the issue vis-a-vis the neighbouring BJP-ruled Karnataka."Though the matter is pending before the Supreme Court, the manner in which the Karnataka (government) is behaving amounts to contempt of court... They have changed the name of Belgaum (to 'Belagavi'), they have declared it the second capital, constructed a Vidhana Soudha there and held a legislature session," Thackeray said.Nationalist Congress Party President Sharad Pawar said that the matter is pending before the apex court and all must await its verdict."The apex court is the last resort to resolve an issue... we have to put forward our point effectively... The Chief Minister (Thackeray) is personally working on it," he said.Among those present or addressed the meeting included Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, state Congress President and Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat, Marathi Language Department Minister Subhash Desai, Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde, Food & Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, Minister of State Dattatray Bharane and BJP's Leader of Opposition in Council Pravin Darekar, besides other top leaders and officials.
--IANS qn/vd