Sharad Pawar knew of probe into irrigation scam: Ex-CM

Chavan’s remarks came just days after NCP leaders Praful Patel and Ajit Pawar slammed him for the downfall of the Democratic Front alliance in 2014

Former chief minister and Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan on Friday said Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar knew a probe was being initiated into the irrigation scam as well as the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank (MSCB) during his tenure as chief minister.He added that it was former home minister R R Patil, who had cleared the file into the probe.

HT File Photo

Chavan’s remarks came just days after NCP leaders Praful Patel and Ajit Pawar slammed him for the downfall of the Democratic Front alliance in 2014. Both blamed Chavan for maligning the party.

Chavan said he was not behind the probe initiated against them.

“Just ahead of the Assembly elections in 2014, the then home minister late RR Patil cleared the file for open inquiry by the anti corruption bureau against former water resources ministers Ajit Pawar and Sunil Tatkare. I came to know about the inquiry only through media reports and I believe RR Patil would not have done this without taking his top leadership into confidence,” he said.

Chavan added that Patel should first seek information from within the party and his leadership before levelling such allegations. He said his decision to appoint administrators on the MSCB by dissolving the board of directors was taken only after taking Sharad Pawar into confidence. Chavan said NCP’s act of pulling out of the government ahead of the Assembly elections and announcing the support on the day of the counting of the votes of elections had helped the BJP politically.

The former CM said the silent marches of the Maratha community was the result of unrest among the people against the established political leadership, referring to the NCP seen as a dominantly Maratha party.