No rift in MVA allies, says Ajit Pawar

The NCP leader also hit at state BJP president Chandrakant Patil for demanding a CBI probe into the allegations levelled against him and another state minister by dismissed Mumbai cop Sachin Waze. 

"Based on the allegations made by a culprit who is in jail and who has tarnished the image of the police department, Chandrakant Patil has made a demand. When Chandrakant Dada was the Revenue, Public Works and Co-operation minister in the (BJP) government, Shiv Sena MLA from Kolhapur Rajesh Kshirsagar had levelled allegations of corruption against Patil,'' he said. 

''What action was taken? If no action was taken on allegations made by a people's representative, what action will be taken on allegations made by a culprit?" Ajit Pawar asked. 

He was replying to a query about Patil's demand for a CBI inquiry against him and Transport Minister Anil Parab. 

In a letter to Union home minister Amit Shah, Patil has referred to a hand written note submitted by Waze to the NIA court in April in which the former assistant sub-inspector had claimed Pawar and Parab allegedly asked him to collect money from illegal gutkha sellers, manufacturers and civic contractors. 

Waze is in jail in the Antilia security scare-Mansukh Hiran murder case. 

Ajit Pawar said NCP president Sharad Pawar has already said the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government will complete its five-year term. 

The ruling alliance consists of the Shiv Sena, the NCP and the Congress. 

"We have selected our Chief Minister and that, too, for five years. The decision was taken by the top leaders of the three parties – Sonia Gandhi (Congress), Sharad Pawar (NCP) and Uddhav Thackeray (Shiv Sena),'' Ajit Pawar said. 

''Our leader Sharad Pawar has said the government will complete five years in office. Congress leaders Nana Patole and Balasaheb Thorat have also said that Soniaji wishes this government remains in office for five years. Reports (about differences among allies) are baseless, there is no substance in them," he said in reply to a question. 

Ajit Pawar said the Centre is neglecting the agitation launched by farmers against the three new agri-marketing laws enacted last year. 

"The neglect of farmers' agitation by the Union government is an insult to Indians. The Shiv Sena, the Congress and NCP have cleared their stand on the issue. We will not support laws which are against farmers. However, we will surely consider provisions which are in favour of farmers," he said. 

About the coronavirus situation, Ajit Pawar said the state government has decided to vaccinate 70 per cent of its adult population in the next two months but unavailability of adequate vaccine stock is an obstacle to achieve the target. 

Ajit Pawar was on a day-long tour of Nashik district, where he inaugurated several development projects. 

Meanwhile, Sambhaji Brigade activists had decided to ghearo Ajit Pawar and Nashik district guardian minister Chhagan Bhujbal and give them memorandum listing their demands. 

However, the police intervened and detained the activists who had gathered in the Ashok Stambh area of the city to stage a protest.