The verbal attack on chief minister Prithviraj Chavan by NCP chief Sharad Pawar has resulted in a war of words between the Congress and NCP leaders. NCP questioned the CM on issues like regularisation of slums, while the Congress alleged that the finance department, which is under the deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, has purportedly rejected schemes proposed by Congress ministers.
After the CM’s response to Sharad Pawar’s comments, NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik on Thursday alleged that Mr Chavan has shared wrong information with the media.
Mr Chavan had said on Wednesday that the decisions related to individual interest would take time and the priority has been given to the issues related to larger public interest.
Countering that, NCP spokesperson brought up the issue of regularising slums constructed before 2000 and transfer of rights to slums that came up before 1995 by charging a transfer fee.
“Both the issues are of a larger public interest and are pending since long and if Mr Chavan is so keen on issues pertaining to larger public interest then why no decision has been taken on them yet,” Mr Malik asked.
He said that assurance of regularising slums constructed before 2000 was incorporated in the Congress and NCP’s election manifesto in 2004. The decision on transfer of rights of slums constructed before 1995 was taken just before the BMC elections last year, but due to uncertainty over who will get the revenue generated from the transfer fee, it is yet to be implemented as the file is pending with the CM’s office.
The NCP leader also added that if Congress state unit chief Manikrao Thakre succeeds in taking approval on these issues from the CM, he was ready to give them some more pending issues and that too are of larger public interest.
Mr Thakre has argued that the projects suggested by Congress ministers were always opposed by the finance ministry. “We can also claim that the NCP has been intentionally stalling the proposals given by Congress leaders,” he argued.
NCP leader and PWD minister Chhagan Bhujbal claimed that Congress ministers too are not happy with the CM’s working style. Party chief Sharad Pawar’s comment was in favour of public interest, he added.
A senior Congress minister said that NCP should raise issues in the coordination committee meeting and not in a public function.