BJP ALLEGES CONGRESS, NCP MEMBERS GOT CHIKKI CONTRACTS
main point was action against corruption.
Sachin Sawant, Congress spokesperson, refuted BJP’s allegation that the previous Congress government had awarded the contract to Suryakanta Mahila Sahakari Sangh in the past. “In 2013, Suryakanta Sangha was to be given a contract for chikki. But there were adverse remarks on the file by the Tribal Development Department. Despite that, then minister Babanrao Pachpute decided to award the contract to them. But the order was stayed by the Chief Minister then. So the fact is, we did not award any contract to them in the past. It does not matter whether they belong to Congress or not,” he said.
He further emphasised that Pankaja Munde flouted norms by not floating e-tenders, which were made mandatory by the Bombay High Court and the state government orders.
Despite several attempts, NCP leaders were not available for comments. But the party’s youth wing protested against Pankaja Munde at various places in Maharashtra by conducting “chakka jam” and halting traffic in cities like Pune, Satara, Kolhapur, Solapur, Nagpur and Ahmednagar.
The BJP has stood firmly behind Pankaja Munde throughout the week, with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis saying that she has given him a satisfactory explanation about the allegations. He told the media that the government was willing to conduct a probe if the Opposition gave any evidence that norms were flouted.