Land deals: 2 more BJP leaders in soup

MUMBAI: After the ouster of senior BJP minister Eknath Khadse over conflict of interest charges in a land deal, allegations have surfaced against two other senior

MUMBAI: After the ouster of senior BJP minister Eknath Khadse over conflict of interest charges in a land deal, allegations have surfaced against two other senior BJP leaders — water resources minister Girish Mahajan and state party president Raosaheb Danve — over alleged irregularities in land deals.

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Mahajan is facing charges in connection with the purchase of 1.99 hectares of agriculture land in Jalgaon, acquired for setting up private sugar factory Tapi Purna Sugar and Allied Products (promoted by BJP leaders led by Khadse). Danve, meanwhile, is facing charges of having taken over a plot reserved for marginal land owners in his home town, Jalna, and replacing their names with those of his family members. He has also built a house on the plot.

The allegations, made by activist Anjali Damania and opposition party Congress, against Mahajan is that he has not listed this land ownership in his election affidavit, where one is bound by oath to reveal all assets, and the land brought by him is classified as ‘mahar watan’ — land grants given by government to scheduled class families that can’t be transferred without prior permission.

While Mahajan confirmed that some land was bought in his name for a factory promoted by Khadse, he denied the charge that it was a ‘mahar watan’ land. On charges that he had concealed the information in his election affidavits, Mahajan said he had “forgotten” to mention it.

“There is no reason for me to hide purchase of just 5 acres of land worth Rs1.11 lakh at the time. I was under the impression that this land was in the name of the factory. Also, the allegation that this was Mahar watan land is false. The title of this land was clear and we didn’t force any farmers to sell it...” said Mahajan.

Danve said: “The allegations are baseless. The plot that is being referred to was brought by my father 25 years ago after the owner sold it to us.”