BJP MP, MLA spar over road work, write disparaging letters

Work carried out on a road in Nanded in Maharashtra has led to a letter war between a BJP Lok Sabha MP and his MLA colleague.

After BJP MLA Prashant Bamb complained to the state PWD claiming work on the Penur-Shevdi-Sonkhed Road was of poor quality, Nanded BJP MP Prataprao Patil Chikhlikar, in whose constituency the road falls, hit back claiming the former was a "blackmailer".

In a letter written to the PWD on November 22, the MP said the department need not take cognisance of "blackmailer" Bamb's complaint as the latter was MLA from Gangapur (in Aurangabad) and had no connection to the road or constituency it is part of.

In reply to this letter, Bamb, on December 31, said he had written in his capacity as a public representative and went on to accuse Chikhlikar of "corruption".

"Chikhlikar calls me a blackmailer, but I have never withdrawn any of my complaints and do rigorous follow-up on them. I have even approached court on several occasions in the past five years despite being part of the ruling party. Chikhlikar, however, has always sided with contractors," Bamb said in his letter.

Bamb also listed seven public works in Nanded where he claimed corruption had taken place.

Talking to reporters, Chikhlikar said, "Bamb has his constituency and he should concentrate on that. There are agencies established to monitor quality of work."