Shiv Sena Shinde faction leader raises graft charges against Aaditya Thackeray in Covid contracts, Metro project

Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) legislator and spokesperson Dr Manisha Kayande has lashed out at Aaditya Thackeray for corruption during the Covid-19 pandemic, as highlighted in the recent Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report. Dr Kayande accused the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government of mismanaging funds, awarding contracts without proper tenders, and exploiting public money through questionable practices.

According to the CAG report, contracts worth Rs 12,000 crore were awarded by the Mumbai Municipal Corporation during the COVID-19 period, with over Rs 3,500 crore specifically related to pandemic management. However, these funds were marred by corruption, with 64 contractors and BMC officials receiving work and payments without contracts in place. The report also pointed to tender processes in the Information Technology Department that were manipulated, leading to inflated costs, particularly in the expansion work of Sanjay Gandhi National Park.

Dr Kayande challenged Aaditya Thackeray to respond to these allegations instead of criticising the Mahayuti government. “During the pandemic, you awarded contracts to individuals like Sujit Patkar and Suraj Chavan without transparency. The CAG audit exposes the widespread corruption during your administration,” she said.

Dr Kayande also spoke about the Metro 3 project, which she claimed was delayed by three years due to Aaditya Thackeray’s “ego” over the car shed location, ultimately inflating the project cost by Rs 14,000 crore. “This delay has worsened the congestion in Mumbai’s local trains, causing injuries and chaos. Aditya Thackeray, who has used the local trains just three times in his life, would hardly understand the plight of daily commuters,” Dr Kayande remarked.

Dr Kayande also criticised the handling of other crucial projects in Mumbai, such as the Coastal Road and Atal Setu, which she said were completed only after the MVA government left office. She also claimed that the alleged reappointment of Sachin Vaze, a former police officer embroiled in corruption, saying, “It was your administration that reinstated him and set a recovery target of Rs 100 crores. Your former Home Minister Anil Deshmukh was in jail because of it.”

In a scathing remark, she questioned Thackeray’s and Sanjay Raut’s comments on the Election Commission’s integrity, accusing them of conveniently supporting electronic voting machines (EVMs) when their party won and opposing them when they lost.

Dr Kayande told Aaditya Thackeray to reflect on the failures of his administration before pointing fingers at others.