Maharashtra BJP chief tells ally Ajit Pawar to 'introspect' over graft jibes

Maharashtra Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Ravindra Chavan has advised the state’s deputy chief minister, Ajit Pawar, to “introspect” following the latter’s claims of corruption and debt within the Pimpri-Chinchwad civic body, which is governed by the saffron party.

According to Chavan, who spoke on the matter on Saturday (January 3), these allegations might be part of a strategy by certain agencies to fabricate a misleading narrative ahead of the January 15 civic body elections.

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He remarked that if the BJP were to begin making accusations, it would pose significant challenges for Pawar, and he advised the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief to “introspect” prior to making such allegations.

Pawar’s NCP is an ally of the BJP in Maharashtra’s ruling Mahayuti alliance, which also includes the Shiv Sena.

Pawar's PCMC corruption charges

Chavan was reacting to Pawar’s claims that the state's Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has been plagued by corruption for the past nine years and has accumulated debt during the same time.

The civic body was under the BJP’s control from 2017 until 2022, after which a state-appointed administrator took over.

The civic body is scheduled to hold elections on January 15, concurrently with 28 other municipal corporations, including that in Mumbai.

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“Ajit Pawar made this statement in the backdrop of the upcoming elections. He should first introspect before making allegations. He needs to clarify which party he is speaking about. Is the statement meant for the party that is under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi?” Chavan asked while addressing a press conference.

Justifies Mahayuti candidates' win before polls

He also justified the unopposed election of BJP candidates in Kalyan-Dombivli and other parts of the state even before votes are cast by attributing it to the absence of Opposition candidates.

“For several years, the BJP and Shiv Sena (undivided) were contesting against each other in Kalyan-Dombivli. However, as the BJP and Shiv Sena (headed by Deputy CM Eknath Shinde of the Sena) have formed an alliance, no Opposition party is left in the fray,” Chavan added.

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In an unprecedented turn of events, early 70 corporators of the Mahayuti alliance were elected unopposed in the high-voltage civic body elections across Maharashtra even before the votes were polled, prompting the Opposition parties to flag the issue to the State Election Commission and accuse the ruling coalition of using money power and coercive tactics to push opponents to withdraw their nominations. The largest share came from the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation in Thane district.

Pavan also alleged that some agencies are being deployed to create fake narratives during elections.

"Ajit Dada is a good leader. He is associated with us in the Centre and Maharashtra. However, in this election, the sand beneath their feet is slipping. I will ask which agency had given him the inputs to make these allegations,” said the BJP leader.

In a sharp dig, he said Pawar would come smiling post the polls, saying his utterances were part of the election campaign.

Defends fielding tainted candidates

Pawar on Friday (January 2) supported giving tickets to candidates with criminal backgrounds for civic polls, claiming he himself faced allegations of orchestrating a Rs 70,000-crore irrigation scam, and asserted no one is a criminal until proven guilty.

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“Everybody knows that allegations of a Rs 70,000 crore irrigation scam were levelled against me. Today, I am in power alongside those who made those allegations. Can a person be labelled guilty even before it is proved?” Pawar asked.

Alleging corruption in the PCMC, Pawar said gangs of looters have come into existence and added that the time has come to burn this monster of corruption in the said civic body.

“Irregularities have been taking place in the name of various projects, such as cleanliness, the Mula River cleaning project. There is a lack of transparency in the functioning of the civic body. Since there is no fear of state leadership, gangs of looters have come into existence, and to burn this monster in the form of corruption, we have come into the poll arena,” said Pawar.

Referring to the erstwhile Congress-NCP (before the NCP was split) government, Pawar said they didn’t allow the arrogance of power to dominate them.

"On the contrary, there is an arrogance of power,” he said.

(With agency inputs)