KOLHAPUR:

on Thursday pledged total

to farmers in Maharashtra if the NCP-Congress alliance returned to power. He also slammed the incumbent Union government over the alleged corruption in the Rafale fighter jet deal.

The NCP supremo was addressing district party workers through video conferencing arranged at city MP Dhananjay Mahadik's office. The former defence minister said the BJP-led government at the Centre did not have the courage to set up a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) to probe allegations over the Rafale deal. "When the Bofors scandal broke, the then government constituted a JPC. This government too should have formed a JPC and allowed investigation. It is a matter of concern if the Rafale documents are stolen. The government is trying to cover up," he said.

Speaking about the incentives given to farmers in the last few months, Pawar said the earlier government, in which he was the agriculture minister, had given total loan waiver to farmers.