Mumbai: The NCP on Saturday said the decision by Chief Minister Minister Devendra Fadnavis to refer the allegation against his cabinet colleague Prakash Mehta to the Lokayukta was ‘clever game’ to save himself from possible fallouts.
On Friday, Mr. Fadnavis announced a Lokayukta probe into the Opposition allegation of impropriety in clearing a slum redevelopment project in the city by Housing Minister Prakash Mehta, a BJP MLA. “The CM has played a clever game. On the one hand, he has saved his own skin. This is also an attempt to show people that he will not let any allegation go without an inquiry,” NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said.
He said according to the Maharashtra Lokayukta Act, the CM does’nt come under the purview of the Lokayukta.
“When the Housing Minister himself said he had apprised the CM of his decision to sign the file [relating to the slum development in question], it’s obvious the CM would be made to answer some difficult questions. Since the Lokayukta will not probe that angle, there will no questions raised against Mr. Fadnavis.”
Mr. Malik said this is why the Opposition had sought a probe into allegations against Mr. Mehta and Industries Minister Subhash Desai by a sitting judge of the Bombay High Court.
Mr. Mehta has been facing heat over alleged unauthorised transfer of extra building rights of a Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) project at the MP Mills Compound in south Mumbai, originally granted to slum dwellers, to project-affected people.
The Opposition has alleged the move was aimed at favouring a particular developer. It had also accused Mr. Mehta of incorporating the names of his family members as beneficiaries of a slum redevelopment project in Ghatkopar.