Ajit Pawar could have avoided land deal row: Minister

Fri, 07 November 2025

17:35

Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar/File image

Maharashtra minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil on Friday said had deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar acted in time, he might have avoided the controversy surrounding a land deal involving a firm linked to his son.

The senior leader appeared to be taking a swipe at Pawar, a BJP ally, saying his "busy schedule" could be the reason for his inaction.

"If Ajit Pawar had acted when he first got wind of the Pune land issue, this situation might not have arisen. But considering his busy schedule, sometimes a few decisions happen automatically," Vikhe Patil, a former Congress leader, told reporters.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered an inquiry and the facts will soon be clear, he added.

Notably, the Vikhe Patil family and the Pawar family have traditionally been at loggerheads in western Maharashtra politics.

On the Opposition's demand that Ajit Pawar should resign, however, he said the Opposition does not have anything else to do except for seeking resignations.

The controversy pertains to the alleged illegal sale of 40 acres of government land in Pune's Mundhwa area, reportedly worth around Rs 1,800 crore, which Opposition leaders claim was purchased by a company linked to Ajit Pawar's son Parth for only Rs 300 crore. -- PTI

TOP STORIES

Nehru did a 'tukde-tukde' of Vande Mataram: Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi initiated a discussion on 150 years of Vande Mataram in the Lok Sabha, recalling the Emergency period when the national song completed 100 years.

BJP won't be able to put single blot on Nehru: Cong

The Congress on Monday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of attempting to 'rewrite history' and giving a 'political colour' to the Vande Mataram debate, and asserted that no matter how much the Bharatiya Janata Party tries, it will...

Goa nightclub fire: Owners fled to Phuket at 5.30 am

Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, the owners of the Goa nightclub wanted in connection with the fire tragedy that claimed 25 lives at the facility, have fled to Thailand, prompting police to seek the help of Interpol to trace them, officials...

Will take strict action on IndiGo to set example: Govt

Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said the government has initiated an inquiry into Indigo's mass flight cancellations and will take strict action against the operator to set an example for other airlines.

IndiGo Crisis: 'Well-Orchestrated To Pressure Govt'

'Where rostering systems are automated and duty time software interfaces directly with DGCA, the assertion that they suddenly discovered crew shortages is simply implausible.''If adequate crew planning hasn't materialised within 12 to 24...