Mumbai, May 9: RBI's decision to dismiss the board of Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank, and subsequent appointment of administrators, has led to a war of words between the ruling Congress and NCP, with NCP chief Sharad Pawar today taking on the state Congress president.
Earlier, senior NCP leader and deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, lay the blame at Congress's door, saying RBI's action was "initiated from Delhi with a political motive."
"A big conspiracy was hatched in Delhi. There is a Congress-led government there. RBI is under (senior Congress leader) Pranab Mukherjee," he said.
Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president Manikrao Thakre had earlier said that RBI's action was a follow-up on the report by NABARD. "NABARD comes under the purview of Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar," he had said.
Speaking to reporters in Satara today, the NCP chief targeted Thakre, saying "one must know which institution comes under whose jurisdiction." "NABARD is not under my jurisdiction," Pawar said, adding "knowledge of administration is essential (before commenting on the issue)."
Of the 44 directors on the bank's board, 25 belonged to NCP, 14 to Congress, two each to BJP and Peasants and Workers Party, and one to Shiv Sena.
Meanwhile, opposition Shiv Sena-BJP have demanded resignation of Ajit Pawar, who has controlled the bank for over a decade. Leader of Opposition in Assembly, Eknath Khadse, said, "Ajit Pawar should take the responsibility. Farmers have been betrayed, so he should resign."
Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray has also demanded Ajit Pawar's resignation over the issue. PTI
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