Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Sharad Pawar has dismissed allegations made by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray regarding industrialist Gautam Adani’s involvement in the controversial Dharavi redevelopment project.
Pawar’s comments are particularly significant given that both Gandhi and Thackeray have vowed to scrap the project if their respective parties are voted to power. His defence of Adani has put the NCP in an awkward position, as it is part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition, which also includes Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT). The timing of Pawar’s remarks, just ahead of the elections, has left Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) officials red-faced.
In an interview with a news portal, Pawar claimed that Adani had not initially shown any interest in the Dharavi project, which was first taken up by a company from the UAE. It was only later that Adani’s group became involved in the project. This contradicts the narrative put forward by the opposition leaders, who have accused the BJP-led government of favouring Adani in exchange for political benefits.
Pawar’s comments were swiftly highlighted by BJP leader Amit Malviya, who took to social media to accuse Gandhi and Thackeray of misleading the public. “Uddhav and Rahul have been lying all along to mislead Mumbai and Maharashtra,” Malviya tweeted, adding that it was the Uddhav-led MVA government that had originally approved the Dharavi project for the Adani Group.
The timing of Pawar’s statement is a significant blow to the MVA, especially as the redevelopment of Dharavi—a major slum area in Mumbai—has been a key point of contention. Both Gandhi and Thackeray have been vocal in their criticism of Adani, promising to cancel the project if they come to power.
Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh had only a day earlier accused the Maha Vikas Aghadi government of granting undue favours to Adani in relation to Dharavi. Gandhi, meanwhile, had recently shared an image of Adani with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to underscore their alleged ties. The BJP responded by circulating photographs showing Adani with Robert Vadra, the husband of Gandhi’s sister, and Congress MP Shashi Tharoor.
Meanwhile, BJP leaders, including Devendra Fadnavis and Ashish Shelar, have continued to defend the Dharavi redevelopment project, arguing that its successful implementation could provide affordable housing to thousands of residents and serve as a transformative development for Mumbai.
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