Chavan hits out at NCP, Ajit
GOING BALLISTIC Alliance split because of struggle for power and personal ambition, says ex-CM
TULJAPUR (DIST OSMANABAD): As he launched the Congress campaign from Tuljapur, former CM Prithviraj Chavan slammed former ally NCP for withdrawing support to the government. Talking to Hindustan Times, he termed it a “well thought plan” to give advantage to the BJP, also motivated by the misplaced apprehension that he would sanction a corruption probe against NCP ministers in the irrigation scam. Do you suspect there’s a ploy behind the withdrawal of support to the government? I think it was a well thought out plan by the NCP to give 10 days’ advantage to the BJP. By pulling out, they handed the state on a platter to the BJP. There is also talk that it was done because an irrigation file, on the PIL filed by (activist) Pravin Wategaokar, was to come before me for sanction. The anti-corruption bureau had sought an open inquiry against former NCP ministers Sunil Tatkare and Ajit Pawar.
Were you shocked with the imposition of President’s rule? I didn’t expect it at all. The governor told me I should continue as the caretaker CM but in less than 48 hours, (Union home minister) Rajnath Singh held a cabinet meeting and the President was
asked to clear this file on Sunday. NCP has blamed you for the snapping of ties… They started the talks with the pre-condition that they wanted 30 seats more. Then they demanded sharing of CM’s post. The alliance broke because of struggle for power and personal ambition. Coming back to the irrigation scam, Ajit Pawar has said the Madhav Chitale committee gave him a clean chit? If he had a clean chit, why has the court sought inquiry against them (Tatkare and Pawar)? He (Chitale) was polite enough not to take names … Our legal system may be slow, but it delivers. Jayalalithaa got convicted after 18 years. The records (in irrigation case) are for everyone to see. What if the Congress loses its biggest state? We will have to accept it. The state voted decisively for Modi in the recent polls. Whether they will vote for us, remains to be seen. We are saying we gave a good government. While corruption scams don’t help our cause, it does help that the NCP is no longer with us.