As MVA Sinks, NCP And INC Go On A Spending Spree

As the MVA implodes, the departments controlled by ruling allies Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress — have issued government orders for the release of funds worth thousands of crores in the last four days.

Context: Between 20 June and 23 June, the departments issued as many as 182 GRs, while on 17 June, they passed 107 such GRs. All of this is happening against the backdrop of Eknath Shinde's rebellion.

• Cumulatively, the sanctioned funds run into thousands of crores.

• GRs are essentially an approval order sanctioning the release of funds for development-related works.

• For a government already covered in corruption cases and financial scandals, a sudden spike in expenditure will be looked at with increased scrutiny.

Where they spent: Since 20th June, the departments controlled by NCP and Congress went on a spree as over 70 per cent of the 182 orders were issued during this period.

• The plum departments such as social justice, water resources, skill development, housing development, finance and home, being headed by the NCP, have issued the maximum GRs.

• The finance department controlled by state Deputy Chief Minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar issued a GR increasing the local area development funds to a total of Rs 319 crore.

• Some GRs were issued by the Congress-controlled departments such as tribal development, revenue, PWD, school education, OBC and fisheries.

• The state tribal development department controlled by Congress issued GRs worth over Rs 1,000 crore.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena goes silent: In the same four days - 20 to 23 June - departments controlled by SS issued only three GRs, indicating the awareness of what was about to unfold.

• These three GRs were issued by the industries department and the Marathi language department handled by Subhash Desai - now with Eknath Shinde - and also the tourism department helmed by Aaditya Thackeray.

The spectre of corruption: In its short stint in power, the MVA government didn't cover itself in glory with frequent allegations of corruption being levelled against them.

• Former CM Devendra Fadnavis called it "the most corrupt government in the history of Maharashtra".

• Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh was on the run before being arrested by the ED in November last year on charges of money laundering.

• Charges of favouritism in contract-allocation, with brokers running the roost.

• In the Aryan Khan drugs case, the MVA was put in the dock citing their inability in cracking down on drugs.

• Former cop Sachin Vaze made a stunning allegation of forced bribery collection from clubs and bars in Mumbai to the tune of Rs. 100 crores per month.

• Former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh is already behind bars after absconding for months in the same bribery case as Sachin Vaze.

What happens now: Eknath Shinde's ever-growing camp has elected Shinde as their leader which puts the MVA in minority. As the MVA goes down, the NCP and INC ministers are working overtime, now more than ever.