Nath was speaking at Manohar Bhai Patel Awards function in Gondia city. (file)

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath said in a lighter vein Saturday that if Gondia district were to become part of his state, it will not have to make request for the water of the Wainganga river. Gondia, a district in eastern Maharashtra, shares its northern border with Madhya Pradesh. Nath was speaking at Manohar Bhai Patel Awards function in Gondia city. NCP leader Praful Patel, during his speech at the event, requested the Madhya Pradesh chief minister to release water from the Wainganga and Bagh rivers for the district.

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If barrage was built on Wainganga at Kankorani, half of the water can be used by Balaghat district in MP and the rest by Gondia, Patel said. To which Kamal Nath replied, jokingly, “There are two options. First is that Madhya Pradesh should accept this demand, or the better option is you merge Gondia into Madhya Pradesh, then you would not need to make a request.”