Chavan says could not act against Cong CMs, Ajit Pawar to save govt

The BJP later attacked Chavan for his candid admission that he let former CMs off the hook in a corruption case. Party leader Rajiv Pratap Rudy said, “After Prithviraj Chavan’s self admission, there is nothing left for the Congress and NCP to fight the elections with. It ensured BJP is heading for a landslide victory in tomorrow’s assembly elections.”

In the interview, Chavan further said, “I did not order a police inquiry, I did not ask for a judicial commission report? all for the sake of keeping the alliance intact…I only asked them for a white paper on the matter,” he said. Chavan added that the all-party probe panel did not investigate much into the matter due to NCP’s “match-fixing” with BJP. “I could have been proactive and could have insisted that it was a judicial commission and that Pawar should be summoned and questioned. But I was running an alliance. my hands were tied,” he said.

Chavan blamed the split of the alliance on Pawar’s ambition. He said Pawar’s  “objective was to be chief minister for half a term and make lots of money”. Chavan also admitted that there was “many years of anti-incumbency” against the Congress in the sate.