‘CAG has named 4 more ministers’

Leader of the opposition Eknath Khadse announced on Monday that the CAG report, portions of which were leaked a few days ago, had implicated four more ministers for various irregularities. If true, this will take the total number of Democratic Front government ministers named in the CAG report to 14. Last week, DNA reported that leaked portions of the report named 10 ministers for their involvement in irregularities that caused huge losses to the state exchequer.

Khadse said the yet-to-be tabled report has more explosive material against the government and its ministers, adding he was ready to disclose their names and irregularities committed.

During question hour in the assembly, the opposition leader and deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar got into a verbal duel.    

Pawar strongly objecting to Khadse’s style of functioning. He accused Khadse of blowing things out of proportion and of raising his voice unnecessarily. Khadse, in turn, alleged that the ruling parties were trying to suppress the opposition's voice and asked why the government was quiet despite the CAG report highlighting major irregularities by its senior ministers.

BJP MLA Devendra Fadnavis on Monday told the assembly that the government has also faced a lot of criticism for major irregularities in the Lavasa project. It was Fadnavis who had created a furore in the assembly a few days ago when he submitted a CD containing a part of the leaked CAG report to the speaker.

In an interview to DNA on Saturday, Fadnavis had hinted that the rest of the leaked report also detailed more scams and names.