PAWAR FAVOURED PVT CONTRACTOR FOR MCA: AAP
MUMBAI: The AAM Admi Party (AAP) on Tuesday accused Union agriculture minister and NCP president Sharad Pawar of favouring a private contractor when commissioning construction of the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) club.
AAP volunteer Anjali Damania said Pawar’s actions had resulted in the windfall of approximately Rs600 crore to the contractor BG Shirke and Company. “Pawar misused his position as MCA chief and allowed Shirke to build the club that cost Rs75 crore even when the MCA had funds. The contract was fashioned in a way that Shirke could mint money at the cost of MCA,” Damania said.
Pawar’s party, however, refuted the allegations. “MCA is not the personal property of Sharad Pawar. His decisions were for the betterment of the club,” said Nawab Malik, NCP spokesperson. “This is one of the best examples of public-private partnership, where the club did not spend a single paisa of public money on construction.”
BG Shirke and Company officials did not respond to calls.