Mumbai, Apr 14 (PTI) NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar on Monday criticised the appointment of former bureaucrat Praveen Pardeshi as Chief Economic Advisor to CM Devendra Fadnavis, calling it an encroachment on the Ajit Pawar-led Finance Department.
He will submit quarterly reports on state finances, formulate incentives for EVs, MSMEs, and green energy, and coordinate with NITI Aayog on strategic development initiatives.
In a strongly worded post on social media platform X, Rohit Pawar stated, “The Chief Minister has infiltrated Ajit Pawar’s Finance Department by creating the post of ‘Chief Economic Advisor to the Chief Minister’ with the status of a Minister of State.
“Henceforth, all policy decisions of the Finance Department and administrative decisions will also fall under the CM’s jurisdiction through the CEA.” Pawar, the grand-nephew of NCP founder Sharad Pawar, alleged that Pardeshi had previously reviewed decisions made during Eknath Shinde’s tenure, and has now turned his focus on Ajit Pawar’s departments.
He further accused CM Fadnavis of exhibiting authoritarian tendencies by trying to keep control over all ministries, either directly or indirectly. “The appointment of a Chief Economic Advisor is another step in the direction of centralising power,” he stated.
“In a democracy, decentralisation of power and teamwork have always yielded better results than centralised power, so it would be in the interest of Maharashtra if the chief minister changes his working style”, he said.
Pawar also launched a scathing attack on the BJP, accusing it of following a use-and-throw policy with its allies.
“In the BJP’s dictionary, allies are merely for temporary convenience. Once the purpose is served, even that convenience is discarded,” he said.
He warned that while many recognise this political strategy from the outside, it is unfortunate that the allies “who are being hunted do not realise it until they are hunted”. PTI MR NSK
