Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan credited NCP chief Sharad Pawar for the Congress-NCP’s “cohesive and united” poll campaign and expressed confidence that the ruling alliance will better its tally of 25 seats in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

“I think the credit must be given to Pawar and his team. We, on our part, have realised that we must be cohesive to fight this election together, without bringing in our differences, which occur when we fight local elections,” Chavan said.

“This time, I think, in a very long, long time, the Congress party is fighting as one man. Out of the total 48 constituencies, there are some issues in three or four constituencies, although nothing very serious which cannot be addressed,” he said.

“We are still trying to make sure that people work together and cohesively. We (Congress and NCP) have been touring each others’ constituencies, holding joint meetings.

“Pawar joined the meeting addressed by Soniaji. I have been going to NCP candidates’ constituencies. He has been coming to our constituencies. I think we have projected a very united and cohesive image,” Chavan said.

Asked about his projection as far as the Congress-NCP tally in the state in this Lok Sabha election is concerned, he said, “I have never given any prediction of numbers in any of the elections which I have led. So I won’t venture into numbers, although we have our internal assessment.”

“From the results which I have got from the field, I think we will certainly be able to better our tally,” he said.

“There is a challenge (from opposition Shiv Sena-BJP-led alliance). I won’t use the word threat,” the senior Congress leader said

“Also, the fact that there have been instances of corruption exposed, the birth of the Aam Aadmi Party, the agitation by Anna Hazare–that is one challenge,” he said.

“The technique used by (BJP’s prime ministerial nominee) Narendra Modi, of saturating media with advertisements, is another challenge. No challenge in an election can be taken lightly. The Congress party would not like to take it lightly,” the chief minister said.

Asked if the “Modi wave” will benefit BJP, Chavan said, “I don’t see any Modi wave at all. Because there is no substance in it, but a lot of hype. People were carted to the meetings to create a large crowd.

“It is just like, when a film star comes, people go and attend the rally but that doesn’t get converted into votes. So I don’t think Modi’s rallies will get converted into votes,” Chavan said.

“Modi has offered nothing concrete. There is no alternate vision at all. He feebly tried to project the Gujarat model as the vision. Even an opportunity to project a strong, rock- solid vision in the manifesto was squandered away because of internal bickering,” he said.

“They (BJP) are not clear whether to put the Hindutva agenda in the forefront or not. The way the senior BJP leadership was sidetracked completely…,I think there is an ideological vacuum within that party.

“BJP and Modi have chosen to ignore their oldest ally Shiv Sena, by not inviting the Sena leaders to share the stage, (and also) allowing a secret understanding with MNS behind Sena’s back.

“They seem to be telling MNS that you (MNS) may go ahead and contest and defeat Shiv Sena candidates but don’t defeat our (BJP) candidates,” Chavan said.

“I think there is a huge question mark on the relevance and credibility of MNS. Also, how much more insults will Shiv Sena tolerate?” the chief minister said.

So, I think they are where they are. There is a space perhaps to protect the interests of the “sons of the soil”, the Marathi people and that’s why they will get some support. But as a political party, as an alternate formation which can take over the governance of Maharashtra, they have failed,” he said.

Nashik Municipal Corporation Commissioner Sanjay Khandare has been transferred on the recommendation of the Election Commission of India following complaints against him for allegedly taking some decisions in favour of a political party.

Khandare was transferred last evening on the recommendation of ECI, which received complaints against him from corporators for allegedly favouring the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, which presently rules the NMC, official sources said.

District Collector V B Patil confirmed the transfer of NMC commissioner last evening.

Tribal development commissioner Sanjeev Kumar has been asked to take additional charge as NMC commissioner.

There were complaints of alleged violation of the model code of conduct against Khandare in view of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, NMC sources said.

Khandare could not be contacted for comments in the matter.

Finding discrepancies in the dying declarations given by a housewife to her father, police and doctor, the Bombay High Court has quashed and set aside the life sentence imposed on her husband for setting her ablaze as a result of which she eventually died in hospital.

In separate dying declarations given by Vijaya Shelar to her father and police, she had stated that her husband Machindra suspected her character and thus on March 24, 2004, he and his aunt had poured kerosene on her and set her afire.

However, in another dying declaration to a doctor who had treated her burn injuries sustained in the incident, Vijaya had stated that she was set afire by her husband. In this statement, Vijaya had not mentioned about her husband’s aunt also being involved in setting her on fire.

“We thus find that there is a total variance in respect of number of accused who are alleged to set Vijaya ablaze,” noted a bench headed by Justice P V Hardas.

“We find that acceptance of dying declaration given by Vijaya to police and oral dying declaration made to Vitthal (her father) would necessarily falsify the dying declaration recorded by Dr. Sinha. Similarly, acceptance of dying declaration made by Vijaya to Dr Sinha would falsify and label the dying declaration given to police and the oral dying declaration made to Vitthal as false,” the judges observed.

“It would be wholly impermissible for the court in such a situation to pick and choose any one dying declaration for basing the conviction. In our opinion, therefore, no reliance can be placed on any of the dying declaration. The appellant, in our considered opinion, therefore would be entitled to be given the benefit of doubt, the bench said in an order on April 10.

The court noted that Vijaya had given Dr Sinha the history of the appellant (her husband) pouring kerosene on her and setting her ablaze. Unfortunately, the disclosure or the oral dying declaration made by Vijaya to Dr Sinha though recorded in the medical case papers were not exhibited and proved by the prosecution.

“Though Dr Sinha had stated that he had produced original case papers, yet the original case papers were not exhibited during the recording of the evidence of Dr Sinha,” the judges observed.

Accordingly, the criminal appeal filed by Machindra was allowed by the judges and the conviction and sentence of the appellant was quashed and set aside. He was acquitted of the offence with which he was charged and convicted.

The court also ordered that the fine paid by the appellant for his conviction be returned to him and Machindra be released from jail if he was not wanted in any other case.

A Pune sessions court had convicted Machindra on June 30, 2004 on the basis of three dying declarations given by the victim. However, his aunt was acquitted as no evidence was found against her.