Patil urges CM to okay ₹400-crore development works

Pune: Even as the Ajit Pawar-led faction of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has joined the state government comprising the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), there are speculations of a cold war between two senior leaders of the alliance over keeping control over Pune city and district.

The finance ministry is yet to release ₹400 crore approved by the district planning and development committee three months ago as a part of developmental works. Maharashtra minister and Pune guardian minister Chandrakant Patil recently wrote to chief minister Eknath Shinde urging him to okay developmental works worth ₹400 crore cleared in district planning and development committee.

The funds were approved in May this year when guardian minister Chandrakant Patil held meeting, and Pawar was not a part of the alliance. Later, in July first week, the Pawar-led faction joined the state government with the finance portfolio going to him.

Sources claimed that Patil had recently raised the issue with chief minister Eknath Shinde, who assured him of finding a solution. Some administrative officers on anonymity confirmed that though the works have been approved, funds are yet to be released.

“Both Patil and Pawar are senior leaders, working together under the leadership of the chief minister. While I am unaware about Patil’s letter pertaining to ₹400 crore-fund for development works, there is no truth that the guardian minister is unhappy with the deputy chief minister,” said Uday Samant, another minister in the Eknath Shinde cabinet.

Despite repeated attempts, Patil was unavailable for comment. Ajit, meanwhile, responded to a question in Pune on Monday about his cabinet colleague being unhappy saying, “all this is untrue”.

Between 2019 and 2022, several Shiv Sena MLAs had openly complained that Ajit Pawar as finance minister is not releasing funds in their constituency.

Pune is Pawar’s home district with the NCP leader holding meetings on various issues, triggering murmurs among the BJP workers that he is trying to be “super guardian minister”.

On Monday, Pawar was seen taking lead during the meeting with Ganesh mandal workers, civic administration, and police officials.

Usually, the Ganesh festival preparation meeting is conducted by the guardian minister every year. This year, Patil called the meeting, but Pawar too attended it and was seen taking complete charge of the meeting, according to the BJP workers. While Pawar addressed a press conference after the meeting, Patil immediately left the venue.

At the press conference after the meeting, when asked about being acting as “super guardian Minister”, Ajit Pawar smiled and remarked, “Let there be sugar in your mouth”, related to a popular saying in Marathi.