‘Don’t take me lightly’: Shinde after CM orders probe into proposed housing project in Jalna

“As promised and predicted, we brought the government of common people to power in Maharashtra. I had said that Devendra Fadnavis and I would bring 200-plus seats and in 2024 Assembly elections, we got 232 seats. Hence, don’t take me lightly. Whoever has to understand should understand it. I will continue doing my work,” the former CM added.

Shinde’s statement came amid growing tensions with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis over the past couple of months following several instances, including rift over the appointment of guardian ministers in Nashik and Raigad, among others.

On Thursday, the CMO ordered an inquiry into a complaint filed by Shiv Sena UBT former MLA Santosh Sambre and asked for a report from CIDCO on the allegations made into the housing project in Jalna.

In his letter to the CM dated February 2, Sambre called for an inquiry into the stalled project — Rs 900-crore housing project on a 301-acre land parcel in Kharpudi in 2019 — undertaken by the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) and alleged that “several persons bought land at low rates and are now selling it to CIDCO at high rates, earning huge profits”.

He noted in his letter that the project that was dropped in 2020 by the MVA government was revived in February 2023 by then Shinde government. He further said that in January 2020, consultancy firm Ernst & Young had deemed the project unfeasible, which led to its cancellation in July by Uddhav Thackeray-led government. He stated that Shinde government later approved the project in 2023, after a report from another consultant.

Following the complaint, the CMO on February 7 wrote to vice-president and managing director of CIDCO, requesting an inquiry and submit a self-explanatory report.

“In accordance with the complaint, it is requested that you conduct an inquiry as per the rules and submit your self-explanatory report to the Chief Minister’s secretariat immediately,” said the letter signed by deputy secretary, CMO.

Responding to questions by reporters, Shinde said that he sought information about the development. He said, “All the projects that we started when I was the CM and Fadnavis ji and Ajit dada were the deputy CMs, were for public welfare. I will first take information about the recent development before commenting,” Shinde said.

While CMO insiders underplayed the development stating it as an “administrative decision” in accordance with the laid down norms, Shinde during his Vidarbha tour on Friday made remarks that have created a furore in political corridors.

Though Shinde’s reference was in context of the split in Uddhav Thackeray-led government that led to the downfall of MVA government in 2022, many in the political circles said that it was a message directed at his allies within the Mahayuti.

A Shiv Sena leader requesting anonymity said, “I don’t want to repeat what Shinde ji has said. But in politics it is a norm to indirectly aim at political rivals on the same side. In the past, Thackeray made the mistake of sidelining Shinde and paid the price. It is a warning to the current leadership not to disregard Shinde,” he said.

Earlier, Shinde and his party leaders had skipped meetings convened by CM and deputy CM Ajit Pawar on several occasions. This gave credence to the theory of ongoing rift within the Mahayuti. The Shiv Sena is upset as CM has not conceded their demands for guardian minister post in Nashik and Raigad districts. In Nashik, guardian minister is BJP’s Girish Mahajan and Raigad, guardian minister is NCP minister Aditi Tatkare.

Insiders revealed that the central leadership is likely to hold talks with all the three Mahayuti leaders to end the ongoing bickerings within the allies.