Ajit Pawar resigns as Maharashtra deputy CM

The NCP leader has been under fire for his alleged role in the multi-crore irrigation scam

Maharashtra deputy chief minister and Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar on Tuesday resigned from his post amidst expose on multi-crore irrigation scam in Maharashtra allegedly questioning his role and decisions taken during his tenure as the irrigation minister. 

"I am just an MLA now. I won't accept any ministry or post till I am cleared of all allegations. If I did not resign, people will think I am guilty and did not want to give up my political posts," Pawar said.

Pawar, who is the newphew of NCP chief and union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar, said he had taken all the decisions as per the powers vested in him and also after keeping the state cabinet's approval. The NCP co-governs Maharashtra with the Congress; it is also a member of the ruling UPA coalition at the Centre.

In fact, irrigation scam has been core to the rising tension between Congress and NCP. It was chief minister Prithviraj Chavan who had recently announced release of white paper on irrigation as mere 0.1 per cent area was added under irrigation during decade by spending Rs 70,000 crore. It was though countered by NCP saying that the actual rise was 12 per cent. 

Pawar said "I have no objection to a white paper, I have sent my resignation. It is my own decision. There is no question of  exerting pressure in a probe."

From 1999 to 2009, the Irrigation Ministry was led by Ajit Pawar. After that, it was given to the NCP's Sunil Tatkare. The NCP wanted Ajit Pawar's term to be exempt from the inquiry into the 'irrigation scam.'

Pawar has been under attack as the irrigation department's chief engineer V Pandhare also levelled serious allegations over the manner in which the expenditure has been carried out even compromising the safety of the neighbourhood population. During successive revealations in a section of media Pawar was at the focul point for giving his approval for 32 irrigation projects costing over Rs 32,000 crore.

Opposition has been attacking the state government especially NCP, Pawar and Tatkare over irrigation scams. Curiously, Pandhare had demanded a CBI inquiry into these scams.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena Raj Thackeray alleged that Pawar's reaction was a drama.

NCP state unit president Madhukar Pichad said there was no reshuffle in NCP ministers as of now following Pawar's resignation.