Maha CM encouraging corruption, his clean image sham: Nirupam

Addressing reporters in Mumbai, he alleged that certain land deals under the NDA government in the state were suspicious.

Mumbai: In a scathing attack, Congress city unit chief Sanjay Nirupam on Wednesday alleged that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was \"encouraging\" corruption and that his clean image was a \"sham\".

Addressing reporters in Mumbai, he alleged that certain land deals under the NDA government in the state were \"suspicious\".

\"Fadnavis is encouraging corruption. His clean image is just a sham. Baba Ramdev's Patanjali (Group) has been given 230 acres of land in Nagpur for Rs 25 lakh per acre whereas, the actual cost (of land) is Rs one crore per acre. Fadnavis is the Chairman of Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC) which has approved the land deal. MADC had to suffer a loss of Rs 170 crore,\" he said.

Nirupam said MADC was planning to compensate these losses by charging other companies at a rate which was \"15 per cent higher\" for land.

\"MADC has also given 111 acres of land at Rs 56 lakh per acre to Anil Ambani's Reliance Aerospace, a defence manufacturing company. The company is to get 468 acres of land, despite lacking in experience in defence production,\" he said.

The former MP also alleged that British rock band Coldplay has been given an MMRDA (Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority) land at BKC (Bandra Kurla Complex) at a 70-per cent discount for its upcoming performance.

\"The rock band has only been charged for the stage, while it is getting the ground (for the concert) for free. (Though) MMRDA has objected (to this move), but the decision (to give the land at a discounted rate) has been taken due to pressure from the Centre,\" Nirupam alleged.

He said the Congress will \"go alone\" in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls scheduled for early next year.

\"We are not thinking of and neither are we ready for an alliance with the NCP for the polls. This decision has been taken at the local level,\" Nirupam said.

He also accused the Fadnavis-led NDA government in the state of \"failing\" to deliver on its promises regarding building the Coastal Road, bullet trains and other infrastructure projects.