Ajit Pawar : ‘The coalition government increased the cost of irrigation projects’; Ajit Pawar's clarification
Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has launched a strong attack on the then Shiv Sena-BJP government over the alleged scam in irrigation projects in the state. Ajit Pawar has made a serious allegation that the prices of many irrigation projects were inexplicably increased during the coalition government's tenure, and has demanded a transparent investigation into the matter. “Those who accuse us should first account for the decisions made during their own tenure,” he said in clear terms.
Ajit Pawar stated that irrigation projects are directly linked to the lives of farmers, and any irregularities in them are a serious matter. However, during the period when the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance was in power, there was a significant increase in the original estimates of many projects. The cost of some projects was doubled, while others were tripled. The reason behind this increase is still unclear, he questioned.
“Today, those who accuse of irrigation scams should also look at the decisions made during their tenure,” Ajit Pawar directly criticized politically. He accused the alliance government of adopting wrong policies regarding project approval, contract work, cost escalation, and extension of deadlines. This resulted in an additional financial burden on the state's treasury and many projects were delayed, he said.
Ajit Pawar also clarified that the Nationalist Congress Party is in favor of transparent governance and is never afraid of inquiries if there is any misconduct in any project. “The inquiry should be comprehensive and impartial. Do not try to gain political advantage by making selective allegations,” he criticized the opposition.
After these allegations, a round of accusations and counter-accusations has started once again in the state's politics. There is a possibility of a strong response from Shiv Sena and BJP to Ajit Pawar's allegations. Meanwhile, farmer organizations and opposition parties have also demanded clarification from the government on the issues of increased costs and delays in irrigation projects.
According to political analysts, in the backdrop of upcoming elections, there is an attempt to bring the issue of the irrigation scam to the forefront again and heat up the political atmosphere. However, beyond these accusations and counter-accusations, the timely completion of irrigation projects and farmers getting water is considered the most important from the state's perspective.