The ruling Congress and its co-partner Nationalist Congress party are currently engaged in a verbal duel. Congress party termed NCP as the party of goons. As expected NCP hit out at the Congress party asking why it took 13 years to realise that NCP was the party of goons. NCP, which has outsmart Congress in the civic and local self government elections held since February this year, also reminded Congress that the government in Maharashtra was continuing due to its support.
State Congress party Manikrao Thakre, who is currently engaged in assessing the mood of the party leaders and members of going solo during the next assembly elections slated for 2014, last week led a scathing attack against NCP terming it as al party of goons. Thakre while addressing the party rally in the rural Dahanu area in Thane district explained NCP has a notorious distinction of having a large number of persons with criminal background. Thakre, who has yet to forget Congress party's defeat in the elections held recently to the zilla parishad from his home district Yavatmal by NCP joining hands with the opposition, also dared NCP to severe links with the communal parties in various civic and local bodies.
However, Thakre was squarely dubbed by NCP supremo Sharad Pawar who asked Congress party whey it continued to lead the government with the support of NCP in the state. Pawar, who is taking personal interest in increasing NCP's base in Maharashtra, indicated that Congress should not take NCP's support for granted.
This is the latest incident wherein both the parties are taking swipe against each other. Earlier, it was the chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, who in a bid to keep a check on NCP, unilaterally announced move to bring out a white paper on irrigation sector. The trigger was observations made in the state's Economic Survey that despite spending over Rs 70,000 crore mere 0.1 per cent irrigation potential was added.
However, it was strongly objected by the NCP which claims the actual rise has been more than 12 per cent. NCP dared Congress to release white paper. In the meanwhile, NCP leader Ajit Pawar resigned following expose on irregularities in the implementation of 37 irrigation projects in the Vidarbha region during his tenure as water resources minister during 2009 and 2012.
Subsequently, Chavan also announced a probe against 45 officials of the Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation, a nodal agency for 37 projects, for the alleged irregularities and cost overrun. However, NCP preferred to be offensive instead of defensive and stood behind Ajit Pawar like a solid rock.
As far as Lavasa hill station project and the association of Pawar family is concerned, a section of Congress party is exerting pressure on the chief minister to turn down special authority status given to Lavasa project. However, NCP continues to support Lavasa project which the party terms was the first hill station project initiated by Sharad Pawar during his chief ministership in 1990s after the independence.
Thakre told Business Standard "The party high command will take a call on whether or not go alone in the next assembly elections. However, I have launched a comprehensive plan to reach out to the party members in a bid to further strengthen the organization."
On the other hand, NCP spokesman Nawab Malik said "The party will make all efforts to broaden its base and win maximum seats."