Except Annabhau, government doing nothing on corruption probes: Prithviraj Chavan

Former Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan is not the leader of Opposition but he still continues to be among the prominent leaders of the Congress party in the state that is now being accused of being increasingly ineffective as an Opposition. In a candid interview with the editorial staff of Zee 24 Taas — led by Dr Uday Nirgudkar, editor-in-chief of Zee 24 Taas and dna — the former CM spoke on various issues ranging from defending Congress party's effectiveness as Opposition, Jalyukta Shivar, alliance with the NCP, separate Vidarbha that may take the centre-stage in 2019 elections and how promptness for him is not signing files blindly. 

Excerpts:

The BJP government is two budgets down. There is drought and allegations of conflict of interest against ministers but the Opposition is not seen to be effective in the assembly.

There are two to three reasons for this and what you are saying is somewhat right. We have been in power for 15 years. For the first six months it took time to settle into the Opposition role. There are members who are new and our strength is less. In all we are around 90 in the house of 288 members. We have to work on who can raise the issue he or she is good at. We will look to divide work. But it is not true that we were not effective. On Vidarbha issue, we put pressure on government and got Aney to resign.

It's the Fifth session after the new government took over and you do not seem to be aggressive. Your party workers feel they are falling short. They feel that Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil is not aggressive.

I do not think that to get the House stop functioning is the way to go about. To get a minister to accept or apologise for his failing is the better way. Our purpose is not to break things or seem aggressive on TV but to get the government do the right thing. Last time we did a mistake of walking out. Walking out is not the better way.

There is this argument that you (previous government) are on the back foot because questions like “What you did in 15 years?” are being raised and that it is your fault because of which things are the way they are.

It's wrong to say that we did not take sakaratmak (affirmative) decisions. In any case, one-and-a-half year is a long time for them (BJP) to be in power and for us to question them on their conduct. In case of coastal road, it is we who appointed committee to study everything and went to centre for permission. In case of Shivaji Memorial we were the ones to form a committee.

But nothing really happened.

There is a process for everything. Why is it that they (BJP) have not been able to start anything? The reason is because there are processes to be followed. Manmohan Singh gave permission for Ambedkar Memorial, passed a law and worked with NTC to get the land. But now the land is still not with the state government. Why is it so? That is because there is a process involved.

You raised a lot of scams like Dal, chiki, bogus degree but there was no impact.

Within two months of taking office, a minister has to give details to the CM or PM about the business and other details. It is expected that if there is any conflict of interest, they will resign. Right now Tawde continues to be a director and government says we will not do anything. The PM should reply on this. The government simply brushes aside all these scams. One minister even went on to state that what will we eat because we do not earn so much. Tomorrow, they will award a contract to a firm they are directors in. The PM should ask ministers about these issues or tear away the code of conduct.

What is it with the alliance with NCP? Are you together? You fought together in some places and not in others. Does local Congress workers want to be with them?

There is a coordination between them. There are places where they are strong and we are not, so we go along. It is not that we have an alliance with NCP at all the places, which do it as per the ground situation.

When you and NCP were in power, the government's image took a hit because of the scams. Last time corruption became a big issue.

In 2014 both in case of Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections, corruption was an issue due to AAP or Anna Hazare’s campaign. Many central ministers had to go and so was the case in state too. But there were many other reasons. Most of them (corruption) came out due to RTI. There was a desire to give information. Sonia Gandhi had ensured that RTI be implemented even though ministers and bureaucrats were not willing. Even future governments will see corruptions come out of RTI. Only this government is not being transparent and not giving information. In case of Dal scam and several other issues they are not giving any information that I have asked under RTI.

Several Mahamandals or departments that were headed by NCP faced inquiries and some people are now in jail

In case of Maharashtra Sadan scam, ACB did the inquiry. It was an inquiry started in our tenure. Then home minister RR Patil (from NCP) gave the go ahead. What has come out now is due to the actions of Enforcement Directorate that comes under central government for money laundering. The Maharashtra government has not done anything till now. We did some mistakes in our tenure. Due to coalition, there was a clear division of departments and boards. We never asked who did what and who was being appointed as president. In case of Ajit Pawar resigning after irrigation scam, it was he who resigned on his own and suddenly felt that he should come back as deputy chief minister.

You asked for white paper on irrigation and a lot of decisions were taken in the earlier government. It is said that in case of Maharashtra Sadan, it was a cabinet decision and not by a single person.

Most of these decisions were taken before I took over. In case of Maharashtra Sadan, there were many sub-committees and departments. Bids were put forward and given away. Those two to three things were reviewed by me but I had to believe the decisions they had taken.

Still why is it that the Congress is sliding?

I do not think we are sliding. In Assam and Kerala as I see right now, I see we are winning there. In the last two years people have understood them and are getting their right picture now. In Delhi and Gujarat in some places where elections were held, we have seen that BJP are not going anywhere.

There is still Apyash (infamy) for the party.

There was a Modi wave (in Lok Sabha) and we cannot deny it. We saw that even in the state elections. We have learnt a lesson on marketing technique now.

What do you have to say about the Jalyukta Shivar?

It is actually we who started it in 2012. In fact, it was there earlier too so it is not exactly a new concept that we introduced. It was an old technique. We conducted a study and then got it done. The idea is that not one or two villages should be saturated but all of them. What the present government has done is packaging again. The present government should have taken up work on Malguzari Talaos on a war footing level. Their efforts in Latur are very defocused.

Lack of development in Vidarbha and Marathwada is said to be the reason for breaking the state it into different parts.

There may be historical reasons for this demand but I think the mistake was that not getting industry into these areas. Industries are engines of driving ground level growth. Mumbai, Pune and Raigad districts developed because of their geographical benefits. We tried to get MIHAN in Nagpur, got two companies like Infosys and TCS but there is nothing that has happened after that.

BJP is in centre and state. Separate Vidarbha could be demand in 2019 elections.

They can do it peacefully if they have the numbers. But the question remains is it practical? There are various taxes like VAT, excise that are there. How much revenue each region is generating that needs to be seen. Will it be viable? Today most revenue comes from Mumbai, Thane, Pune and Raigad region. Separate statehood may fulfil someone's aspiration of becoming the CM but will it solve the problem of the area too should be seen.

You are known to be clean CM but the opinion is that the work does not have pace.

All that is publicity that no work was done. One needs to study and do things dispassionately. Being prompt does not mean to sign blindly on any file that is put in front of you.