Opposition will keep levelling allegations: Ajit Pawar

Interview with Deputy chief minister, Maharashtra

Undeterred by the Opposition’s renewed attack against him, the newly sworn-in Maharashtra deputy chief minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar announced his move to take them head-on. Speaking to Sanjay Jog after his re-induction into the Prithviraj Chavan-led Cabinet, Pawar said he would concentrate on giving priority to effectively deal with the problem of water scarcity in various parts of the state. Pawar would retain finance and power departments. Edited excerpts:

How do you justify rejoining the Maharashtra Cabinet, especially when a couple of petitions against the alleged irrigation scam are pending in several courts?
The Opposition will continue to level allegations. Anyone can file a PIL (public interest litigation) against anyone. If you say that a person should stay out of power unless the decision on a PIL comes out, then no minister, no chief minister, even the prime minister, will be able to hold any position and work.

 

Still, the Opposition has attacked your re-induction...
When the Shiv Sena-BJP government was in power during 1995 and 1999, we made allegations against it and submitted representations to the governor on several occasions. I had resigned on my own in September, in the wake of charges of my being involved in the irrigation scam. It was my own decision.

But the release of the White Paper giving you a clean chit cannot be the lone consideration for your re-induction. What is your take?
I had taken a stand to keep myself away from the council of ministers when the water resources department was preparing the White Paper. The decision was also not to give any room for the Opposition to level charges of interference against me during the preparation of White Paper.

The White Paper has come out with all facts and figures, clarifying that there has been an increase of 5.17 per cent in irrigation potential and not merely 0.1 per cent as observed in the Economic Survey. The expenditure of Rs 70,000 crore was not done at one go, but it was spread over a decade.

What will be your priorities?
There is severe drought prevailing in a large number of talukas in the state. The first priority of the Maharashtra government is to help people who are facing water shortage. The Opposition will never support us on such things.