In response to Ajay Ashar's selection as MITRA Vice President, Congress criticises Ashish Shelar

Ashish Shelar, the head of the BJP in Mumbai, is in a pickle since the Shinde-Fadnavis government chose to make Ajay Ashar, a close adviser to chief minister Eknath Shinde, the Vice President of the Maharashtra Institution for Transformation (MITRA). The BJP leader had once questioned Ashar's involvement in issues involving the Department of Urban Development. The same person has now been appointed by his government to a critical position, nevertheless.

 

Congress spokesperson Sachin Swan tweeted a video of Shelar interrogating Ashar in the Legislative Assembly during the Maha Vikas Aaghadi administration in an apparent attempt to take Shelar to the task. "According to what we've been told, the Urban Development Department's decision-makers are named Ajay Ashar. In the video, Shelar questioned whether he was also above the officials as they related to the problems with the urban development department.

 

Sawant claimed in a tweet that Ashar would now make decisions for the planning of the entire state, in addition to the UD department. He made fun of Shelar by saying that his inquiries would now be answered. A recently established organisation called MITRA, which is modelled after the NITI Aayog, will assist the government in developing various plans and programmes as well as discussing development-related concerns. The appointment of Ajay Ashar, a builder by trade, as MITRA's Vice President on Friday caused a stir in the political sphere. When Shinde served as the UD minister in the previous administration, he and Shinde remained close friends.

 

 

Image Courtesy: Twitter @Ashish Shelar