Chandrashekhar resignation puts govt in the dock
The Deshmukh government will be seen surrendering to the builders lobby if Mr Chandrasekhar is relieved of his charges
By Girish Kuber, TNN |
MUMBAI: T Chandrashekhar, Mhada CEO and in charge of Dharavi redevelopment, is one civic official who has always created popular support in his favour. This had helped him take on powerful builders lobby in his earlier stints in Thane and Nagpur. Now, he has played the same card again by resigning and putting the ruling Congress government in dock.
The Deshmukh government will be seen surrendering to the builders lobby if Mr Chandrasekhar is relieved of his charges. The opposition is rallying behind Mr Chandrasekhar and the pressure is mounting on the government not to accept his resignation.
Mr Chandrashekhar became famous as Thane Municipal Commissioner when he relentlessly carried out demolition drive against illegal structures during the Sena-BJP rule between 1995 and 2000. This freed the town from the clutches of the builders and in the process made Mr Chandrashekhar a hero.
Not many knew then that the bureaucrat had the blessings of Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray who wanted to rein in the Sena’s then Thane satrap Anand Dighe. While demolishing illegal structures Mr Chandrashekhar successfully created popular support for himself. Such was his fan following that his transfer from Thane triggered strong protests.
Mr Chandrashekhar replicated his Thane model in Nagpur too. There he had the support of local BJP strongman Nitin Gadkari. In Nagpur too, Mr Chandrashekhar went on demolishing all irregular shanties and undertook massive redevelopment work. Like Thane, Nagpur too stood by Mr Chandrashekhar.
As Mhada chief, Mr Chandrashekhar had undertaken an ambitious plan to construct over a lakh houses for urban poor. He wanted Mhada to carry out this job keeping private builders out of the loop. This apparently enraged the powerful builders’ lobby that is alleged to have engineered his transfer.
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However, accepting his resignation will be easier said than done for the Vilasrao Deshmukh government when polls are just a year away. The housing and development authority is a key institution for the ruling party since it ‘allots’ low-cost houses to poor.The Opposition Shiv Sena-BJP combine has already extended its support to Mr Chandrashekhar and have asked the government not to axe the bureaucrat. Samnaa, the Sena’s mouthpiece, has even appealed people to come forward in support of the official.
MNS leader Raj Thackeray too has jumped on the ‘save Chandrashekhar’ bandwagon saying the relieving him from Mhada will be against the interest of locals. All this appears to be snowballing into a controversy Vilasrao Deshmukh government may find it difficult to wriggle out of.
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