MNS attacks Mumbai mayor after son’s firm gets Covid centre contracts

The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has accused mayor Kishori Pednekar of favouritism after the contracts for providing labour to Covid-19 centres, constructed in various parts of the city, were given to her son’s company.

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Calling it a scam, the MNS has demanded Pednekar’s resignation from the mayor’s post.

MNS leader Sandeep Deshpande alleged that Pednekar has misused her office to allot contract to Kish Corporate Services Private Limited, where her son Saiprasad is an additional director.

“This is clear cut case of conflict of interest as the whole contract was tailor-made to be allotted to the firm of the mayor’s son. The BMC bypassed reputed manpower-providing companies citing emergency requirement and allotted the tender [to Saiprasad] due to the influence exerted by the mayor,” said Despande.

“There was no thought given to the experience as well as the competency of this company and the contract was arbitrarily allotted,” he added.

Calling it a case of political rivalry, Pednekar has refuted the allegations.

“My son’s company has followed all the rules to bag the contract and there was no favouritism from my end. My son has been running the company from 2012 and he has the right to earn his livelihood like any other citizen,” said Pednekar.

“Some cannot digest the fact that both, me and the Shiv Sena, have received accolades for our excellent handling of the Covid-19 pandemic and hence, are levelling baseless allegations to malign us,” she added.