Addressing a meet the press organised by NUWJ, Pawar indirectly took potshots at school education minister Rajendra Darda, EGS minister Nitin Raut, Nagpur MP Vilas Muttemwar, ex-dairy development minister Anees Ahmed and others. Incidentally, all these leaders are from Congress.
Replying to charges of discrimination against the region, Pawar said, "Vidarbha had dairy development and fisheries departments (when Raut and Ahmed were ministers) for several years. Farmers of this region need supplementary income but few schemes were submitted and sanctioned."
Turning to industrial backwards, the NCP leader said, "Rajendra Darda (whose native place is Yavatmal) was the industries minister. How many entrepreneurs of Vidarbha approached him for industrial development of the region?
"You blame us for closure of industries. Did people of Western Maharashtra come here and close them down. Some public representatives of Vidarbha, while espousing the cause of workers, did not realise that survival of industry was equally important. The government has always bailed out industries in Vidarbha when ever the need arose," he asserted
Most of the leaders whom Pawar was referring are from Congress including ex-textile minister Satish Chaturvedi.
On apathy of Mantralaya bureaucrats towards Vidarbha, Pawar said in his trademark style, "Their job is only to take salaries home. Vidarbha's leaders have to get the work done by them."
When pointed out that state government had not intervened when three co-operative banks of Nagpur crashed but had helped banks in Western Maharashtra and Nanded, the DCM shot back, "This is an RBI issue. Why didn't your MP (Vilas Muttemwar) take up this issue with finance minister Pranab Mukherjee? Is it Ajit Pawar's job?"
Pawar indirectly indicated that PWD minister Chhagan Bhujbal might shift to Delhi. When asked about possible replacement of Sharad Pawar as NCP's face in Delhi, Ajit said, "There are many people. Bhujbal Saheb had expressed his wish to shift to Centre some time back."
Bhujbal has been completely sidelined in Maharashtra politics by Ajit Pawar. The OBC leader was earlier the DCM and home minister. Now, he just has the PWD portfolio while DCM Ajit has finance and power.
Pawar's criticism of Vidarbha's leaders notwithstanding, he is no mood to give any incentive to industries in the region. When asked, whether they could be given discount in transmission charges, he said, "We are ready to provide 24 hours supply to any big industries that wants to set shop in Vidarbha. We won't enforce 16 hour per week power cut on them."
He was apparently unaware that most big industries get round the clock power supply as they come under continuous process category. The government won't be doing any special favour to Vidarbha.
The power minister made it crystal clear that government would not bail out the three power companies, which are in red. He blamed the farmers for MSEDCL's financial woes. "If we did not have over Rs 5,000 crore agricultural arrears then MSEDCL would have not incurred losses. If we crack down on defaulting farmers then there are protests. Still, I have made it clear that farmers, whose crop has not suffered due to excess rainfall, will have to pay current bills to avoid disconnection."
The minister denied that Mahagenco and Mahatransco are in loss even though the two companies are facing cash crunch.
On rehabilitation policy, he said that an eight member committee headed by CM has been constituted for giving single window clearance to PAP schemes. "The government is also thinking of giving equity in the project to farmers whose land stretches have been acquired. This will provide them a steady income for years."
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