Ashokrao Chavan, hurt and angry at the turn of events that cost him the CM’s chair, believes he did no wrong. Excerpts from an exclusive chat.
You go out tainted?
I myself offered to resign. There’s a sense of hurt, not about resigning as CM but the circumstances that were created in which it appeared that I had done something gravely wrong. This taint on me was unnecessary, it’s false.
But you signed allowing civilians to become members of Adarsh?
I have done no wrong. Documents prove that it is government land. There are rules for a cooperative housing society and a government resolution of 1999 that allows certain categories of civilians to become members. So nothing I did was illegal or out of turn, nor did I show undue favours.
How then did your wife’s family get three flats in the Adarsh society?
If I had anything to hide, the flats would have been benami. Flats are in their names because they qualified for it; my father-in-law was in the Air Force.
Do you think you are being singled out?
(Shrugs) The bulk of the approvals and signatures were done by others.
So were you made a sacrificial lamb because the Congress had to counter the Opposition in Parliament?
No comment.
If other high-profile Maharashtra politicians are involved in the Adarsh scam, why is it linked only to you?
I too would like to know the answer to this, especially since I had no role in the clearances. An atmosphere was created to make it look like only I had everything to do with the illegality of Adarsh. It became a matter of perception.
You must have explained yourself to the party high command.
As I said, it’s a matter of perception. I was unfairly linked to the entire illegality of Adarsh. From October 28, a section of the media ran a relentless campaign against me. Public perception is a very powerful thing. How many people can I go and explain myself to?
It’s said this was a conspiracy to oust you.
I had that impression. Some people’s vested interests may be behind it all.
Who would these people be?
I can’t say.
Would they be the developers, rival politicians, or a combination of the two?
(Smiles)
You upset a section of the developers’ lobby. They say you took time to clear files.
Why shouldn’t a chief minister go through files carefully? I am in the habit of reading everything. There were some people used to getting their work done easily.
What’s on the agenda now?
Some rest and work in my constituency.
