Sena min demands inquiry into allegation against him by BJP leader

BJP’s Dilip Jain alleged that Pratap Sarnaik used his position as minister to make the Mira Bhayander municipal corporation spend ₹150 crore on roads and drainage lines to benefit his property in the area

MUMBAI: In yet another political battle between the Shiv Sena and the BJP, transport minister and Shiv Sena legislator Pratap Sarnaik has written to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, demanding that an inquiry be conducted into allegations levelled by a BJP leader against him and that the report be made public. Meanwhile, a Shiv Sena district chief has also written to the trio against BJP MLA Narendra Mehta, pointing out his various alleged illegalities. Both letters were sent on May 27.

Pratap Sarnaik (HT PHOTO)

The charges against Sarnaik were levelled by the BJP’s Mira Bhayandar district chief Dilip Jain in a letter to Fadnavis on May 21. Jain alleged that Sarnaik used his position as minister to make the Mira Bhayander municipal corporation spend ₹150 crore on roads and drainage lines to benefit his property in the area. Mira Bhayandar is part of Sarnaik’s assembly constituency.

Sarnaik’s motivation in demanding an inquiry against himself has ostensibly to do with the image of the Mahayuti. “Jain’s allegations against me, and Shiv Sena district chief Raju Bhoir’s allegations against BJP MLA Narendra Mehta, have become a subject of public discussion in Mira Bhayandar city,” said the minister in his letter. “If the leader of a party which is a political ally is making allegations against a cabinet minister, it must be probed. Such allegations and counter-allegations will create doubts in the minds of people about the Mahayuti alliance.”

When asked about his letter, Sarnaik said, “I have been accused of using my political position to force the municipal corporation to spend on roads and other civic infrastructure near my property. Although my firm does own property there, there are tribal hamlets and villages in the same area, and the road is a public road used by everyone. So the allegations are baseless. But as Dilip Jain is a BJP leader, they need to be investigated. So I have requested an inquiry in both cases—the one against me and the other one against BJP MLA Narendra Mehta.”

When questioned, Jain said he had written the letter on the basis of complaints received from people in Mira Bhayandar against Pratap Sarnaik. “After taking over as district chief about a fortnight ago, some people came to me and gave me information about how the funds of the civic body were used to benefit Pratap Sarnaik,” he said. “So I have complained to the CM. I have done my job.”

Jain, in his letter to the CM, pointed out that Sarnaik owned land at Kajupada on Ghodbunder Road. “Around ₹150 crore of municipal funds was used to construct roads and drainage lines in that area,” he said. “He cut hundreds of trees to develop his property. To increase the price of his property, he also proposed a ₹70-crore waterfront project.”

Shiv Sena leader Raju Bhoir in his letter has pointed out various cases registered against BJP MLA Narendra Mehta in police stations, complaints made to the Lokayukta and orders given by the Lokayukta in cases such as illegal construction in mangrove areas, constructing a private school on land reserved for a technical education institute and so on. When contacted, Mehta said he was ready to face any inquiry.