Ajit Pawar's fund allocation creates furore among Maharashtra Opposition MLAs

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

Ajit Pawar has begun allocating more development funds for constituencies represented by the rebel NCP MLAs who have joined him. MLAs from the BJP and Shiv Sena (Shinde) group have also been favoured.

MLAs from the Uddhav Thackeray faction of Shiv Sena and the Sharad Pawar faction of NCP have claimed foul over this fund allocation. Under the supplementary demands provision, ₹1,500 crore has been allotted, most of which will be spent to fund development projects in these MLAs' constituencies.

MLAs are being allotted projects upwards of ₹25 crore and above. This development is interesting for several reasons: the allocation of more of these development funds to MLAs close to Ajit Pawar is being seen as an incentive for those MLAs loyal to the Sharad Pawar faction to switch over to his camp.

Ajit has close to 40 of the 53 NCP MLAs with him. «I was also the finance minister and I am amazed that the supplementary grants have ballooned to such a large figure.

It looks like whoever is asking for funds is being allocated and everyone's dreams are being fulfilled,» said Jayant Patil, state NCP chief of the Sharad Pawar faction. Significantly, while others NCP MLAs close to Sharad Pawar faction like Jitendra Awhad have not got any funds in the supplementary grants, funds have been allocated for projects in Patil's constituency — Islampur.