Gadkari's latest: A transgender might bear children but a project won't be completed
Mumbai, Dec 23: Union minister Nitin Gadkari Sunday said "even a transgender would bear children but an irrigation scheme in Maharashtra's Sangli district would never be completed".
The BJP leader's comments came on a day he accused a section of the media of "twisting" his remarks on "leadership owning up to defeat" which he had made in Pune Saturday.
"The economic viability of the Tembhu lift irrigation scheme was so difficult ... that once I had shared my views with a person over it . I had said that even a transgender would bear children but this irrigation scheme will never be completed," Gadkari said while addressing a rally in Sangli in western Maharashtra, around 375 kms from here.
The lift irrigation project is about fetching water from the Krishna river basin and irrigating the arid region of Sangli district to increase agriculture production.
Gadkari was attending the event to mark completion of irrigation works of the fourth stage of the lift-irrigation scheme. The construction work of the fifth stage is expected to be completed soon.
The Tembhu lift irrigation project was administratively approved in 1996 for Rs 1,416.59 crore. The project envisages lifting of 22.12 TMC water from the Krishna river to irrigate 80,472 hectares of land in Satara, Sangli and Solapur districts.
Addressing an event in Pune, Gadkari had said, "Leadership should have the 'vrutti' (tendency) to own up the defeat and failures. Loyalty of the leadership towards the organisation will not be proved till the time it owns up responsibility for defeat."
The remarks had come days after the BJP's dismal show in elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
However, he Sunday said the BJP is going to contest the 2019 Lok Sabha election under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and accused the media of "twisting" his remarks.
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KKR defeat LSG via Super Over
Lucknow (PTI): Kolkata Knight Riders edged Lucknow Super Giants via Super Overs in a battle between two bottom-placed teams in the IPL, here on Sunday.
Chasing a modest 156, LSG suffered a batting collapse and managed to tie the contest and take it to Super Over with No. 9 Mohammed Shami striking a last-ball six against a wayward Kartik Tyagi, who leaked 16 runs in the final over.
But Sunil Narine bowled a stunning Super Over conceding just one run and taking two wickets to give KKR an easy target.
Rinku Singh then finished the chase with a boundary off first ball from Prince Yadav.
Earlier the KKR were in deep trouble with 93/7 in 15 overs but Rinku smashed a sensational 83 not out from 51 balls including four sixes in a row in the final over to lift them to 155/7.
Cameron Green (34) was the only other batter to reach double-digit scores as KKR suffered a familiar batting meltdown with Mohsin taking his maiden fifer.
In reply, LSG continued their dismal show with the bat to succumb to their fifth loss in a row.
Brief Scores:
Kolkata Knight Riders 155/7; 20 overs (Rinku Singh 83 not out, Cameron Green 34; Mohsin Khan 5/23). Lucknow Super Giants 155/8; 20 overs (Rishabh Pant 42). KKR won via Super Over.
