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By:

Abhijit Mulye

21 August 2024 at 4:59:11 pm

Fadnavis seeks judicial probe against chiefs

AI Generated Image Mumbai: Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, on Monday, requested Governor Jishnu Dev Verma to constitute a committee to investigate the current and former chairpersons of the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) over an exam paper leak by invoking Article 317 of the Constitution, even as opposition MLA Rohit Pawar issued a two-day ultimatum to the state government, warning that the protesting MPSC aspirants will either shut down Pune city or storm the Mantralaya if...

Fadnavis seeks judicial probe against chiefs

AI Generated Image Mumbai: Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, on Monday, requested Governor Jishnu Dev Verma to constitute a committee to investigate the current and former chairpersons of the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) over an exam paper leak by invoking Article 317 of the Constitution, even as opposition MLA Rohit Pawar issued a two-day ultimatum to the state government, warning that the protesting MPSC aspirants will either shut down Pune city or storm the Mantralaya if the commission’s leadership is not held accountable. The chief minister’s recommendation to the Governor follows a high-level meeting with a delegation of students preparing for competitive exams. Responding to their primary demand for the immediate removal of MPSC Chairman Vivek Bhimanwar, the government clarified that a constitutional inquiry is legally mandated before any dismissal. Consequently, Fadnavis has urged the Governor to appoint a retired High Court judge to head the probe committee, requesting a report within three months to facilitate further administrative action. Honoring another commitment made during the meeting, the state government issued orders transferring MPSC Secretary Mahendra Harpalkar from his post. The current unrest stems from the leaked Food and Drug Administration (FDA) drug inspector examination paper, a breach that recently led to the arrest of several accused individuals and three beneficiary students. However, the state government’s actions have failed to quell the agitation in Pune, which has now entered its fifth day and fractured into three distinct groups over varying demands, including disputes over descriptive versus objective exam patterns. The protest site has rapidly transformed into a political flashpoint, drawing visits from prominent leaders across the spectrum, including Sharad Pawar, Raj Thackeray, Aaditya Thackeray, and Manoj Jarange Patil. Taking an aggressive stance on the ground, NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar cautioned the administration that a massive escalation is imminent. Anticipating a potential visit by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on October 7 or 8, Pawar estimated that over one lakh students could soon take to the streets. He stated that the students and their parents will heed calls to lock down Pune entirely or march directly to the state secretariat in Mumbai if the government fails to clean up the alleged corruption within the MPSC. The escalating standoff also triggered a direct political exchange between Pawar and Minister Nitesh Rane. Rane urged Pawar not to hold students hostage for political optics, emphasizing that the issue concerns the future of the youth and should not be used as a political launchpad. Rane sarcastically extended an olive branch, stating that as friends, they might even work together as cabinet ministers in the future. Pawar quickly dismissed the overture, retorting that Rane should focus on demanding Bhimanwar’s resignation from his own government rather than predicting future alliances. Pawar quipped that the BJP’s sudden collaborative tone indicates they have realized a change in government is imminent, urging Rane to show the courage to sit in the opposition. Meanwhile, the ruling BJP launched a fierce counter-offensive, categorizing the Pune protests as a staged political event rather than a genuine student movement. Addressing a press conference at the BJP state office, chief spokesperson Navnath Ban alleged that 80 percent of the crowd consists of political workers. Ban claimed that after genuine students boycotted the initial days of the protest, Pawar orchestrated the arrival of employees from Baramati Agro and local sugar factories in 200 to 250 vehicles bearing political flags. Defending the MPSC chairman, Ban pointed out that the paper leak did not even occur during Bhimanwar’s tenure as he took charge in March 2026 and noted that the student delegation that met with Fadnavis in Mumbai had already expressed satisfaction with the government’s intervention. To bolster his claim of political infiltration, the BJP spokesperson cited a recent incident where Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Omraje Nimbalkar was met with hostile “traitor” slogans at the protest site, arguing this proved the crowd consisted of partisan workers rather than competitive exam aspirants seeking academic reforms.

Discussions on among allies for govt formation: Ajit Pawar

Correspondent
Nov 26, 2024
2 min read

Updated: Nov 29, 2024

Ajit Pawar

Mumbai: Deputy Chief Minister and NCP head Ajit Pawar on Monday said discussions were underway among the Mahayuti partners to finalise a formula for the new government formation in the state.


Speaking to reporters at Karad in Satara district, Pawar also acknowledged the contribution of the government's Ladki Bahin scheme, which provides financial assistance to women, in the Mahayuti's victory in the just-concluded state assembly polls.


The NCP leader also assured that the alliance was working cohesively following its resounding victory in the state assembly elections.


Pawar paid tributes to Maharashtra's first chief minister Yashwantrao Chavan at his memorial in Karad on his death anniversary.


In the state poll results declared on Saturday, the Mahayuti, which comprises the BJP, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar-led NCP, bagged an impressive 230 of the 288 assembly seats.


The focus has been on BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is being seen as a strong contender to occupy the top post for the third time, as his party bagged 132 of the 149 seats it contested in the state.


Notably, Maharashtra minister and Shiv Sena leader Deepak Kesarkar has said his party legislators feel Eknath Shinde should continue as the chief minister of the state, where the ruling Mahayuti scored a landslide victory in the assembly polls.


Ajit Pawar said, "We will decide what formula to work out on the cabinet formation among the three parties."


Reflecting on the elections, he acknowledged the contribution of the Ladki Bahin scheme in the Mahayuti's win.


"We cannot ignore that Ladki Bahin helped us in this election. We are grateful to them (women voters)," he said.


Defending the scheme, Pawar, who is also the state finance minister, further said, "Had I been opposed to the Ladki Bahin scheme, I would not have presented it in the House. I discussed the scheme with several retired finance officers before finalising it."


Pawar also dismissed concerns raised by some opposition leaders over the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), pointing out that polls in states like Punjab, West Bengal and Telangana, governed by their political opponents, have been conducted with the same system.


Commenting on members of same families contesting against each other during the elections, Pawar expressed annoyance over repeated questions on it.


He then asked, "Why was my close nephew fielded? Atram's own daughter was fielded against him, and even Rajendra Shingne faced a similar challenge. I don't want to comment further on this. I have got tired of apologising for fielding my wife against Supriya. Yugendra was in business, then why was he prepared to contest against me?"


In the Baramati assembly seat, Ajit Pawar was pitted against his nephew and NCP (SP) candidate Yugendra Pawar.


In Aheri seat, NCP leader Dharamraobaba Atram's daughter Bhagyashree Atram contested against him on NCP (SP) ticket.

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