Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has robustly defended his party's decision to field candidates facing serious criminal allegations in upcoming civic polls, drawing a parallel to his own past experiences with unproven accusations. Speaking in Pune amid escalating tensions with local BJP leaders, he emphasized that mere political allegations should not disqualify individuals from contesting elections.
Pawar pointedly reminded critics that he currently shares power in the Mahayuti government with those who previously accused him of involvement in a Rs 70,000 crore irrigation scam during his tenure as irrigation minister. He referenced Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who as opposition leader had aggressively pursued the allegations, including a symbolic protest with documents, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who highlighted the issue during election campaigns.
The Deputy Chief Minister argued that since joining the NDA alliance, the same BJP leaders now defend him by noting that the irrigation scam charges remained allegations without legal substantiation. This shift, he implied, exposes the opportunistic nature of political accusations and justifies his stance against disqualifying candidates based solely on opponent claims.
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In a counteroffensive, Pawar accused the BJP of widespread corruption during its administration of the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, alleging unchecked fund withdrawals and massive cost escalations in projects that depleted civic resources. He portrayed these as clear indicators of malpractice under the previous BJP-led civic body.
With the Ajit Pawar-led NCP positioned as the primary challenger to the BJP in the Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad municipal elections, the alliance partners face an intense direct rivalry in the local polls, highlighting strains within the ruling Mahayuti coalition at the grassroots level.
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