Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray today said he was not aware of an agreement for the second phase of the controversial US-promoted Dabhol Power Company's project, inked during the erstwhile Sena-BJP alliance government.
"Neither the then chief minister nor the deputy chief minister or anybody else informed me about phase two of Enron project," Thackeray said in an interview to the party mouthpiece 'Saamna' here.
The Sena chief said he had extended unstinted support to Enron as he thought it would bridge the gap between demand and supply of electricity in Maharashtra.
Asked about scrapping of the project, Thackeray said the country could not afford to scrap the project and claimed that US had made the power project a "prestige issue" with the likelihood of World Bank stopping financial aid to India.
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Thackeray said he had told Union Energy Minister Suresh Prabhu, to allow purchase of excess electricity generated by DPC by other states and asked him to convey the proposal to Prime Minister.
However, there was no follow up on it, Thacekray added.
On the issue of additional berths for Shiv Sena in the BJP-led NDA government, Thackeray said instead of additional ministry, Sena should be given an important portfolio for Manohar Joshi who handles the Heavy Industry Ministry and an independent charge for Balasaheb Vikhe Patil, who is Union Minister of State for Finance.
"There was much talk following Vajpayee's statement that he would expand the cabinet before monsoon session of the Parliament," he said adding, names of several Sena MPs were doing the rounds.
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"Those who do not have the ability to get elected in gram panchayat elections have reached Parliament and are now vying for ministership but I will not favour any of them," he said.
Terming the setting up of Special Task Force (STF) for implementation of SriKrishna commission report, as vengeful act of the DF government, he queried, Why is the STF not touching others but only arresting Shiv Sainiks alone.
