Ajit Pawar's Death Revives Memories of Maharashtra's ₹70,000-Cr Irrigation Scam

The sudden death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash today (January 28) has once again cast a spotlight on the ₹70,000‑crore irrigation scam, a controversy that has hung over his political career for over a decade.

The veteran politician's association with the case has long shaped public perceptions of his legacy, making today’s tragedy a moment that revives memories of both his achievements and the allegations that shadowed them.

What is Maharashtra Irrigation Scam?

The state's irrigation scam revolves around allegations of corruption and mismanagement in large-scale irrigation projects during Ajit Pawar’s tenure in the Congress‑NCP coalition government between 2009 and 2014. Pawar held dual roles during this period—Irrigation and Water Resources Minister and Chairman of the Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation (VIDC).

The controversy started when a 2012 Economic Survey revealed that Maharashtra had spent nearly ₹70,000 crore on various irrigation schemes over a decade, yet the state’s irrigation potential had increased only by 0.1%. The stark mismatch between spending and results prompted activists and whistleblowers to speak out.

Among them was retired Chief Engineer Vijay Pandhare, who, along with other activists, alleged that Pawar had approved 38 irrigation projects without proper clearance from the VIDC’s Governing Council, according to an earlier report by the Indian Express.

While Pawar repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, the allegations escalated politically. Pawar briefly resigned from the position of Maharashtra's deputy chief minister following the accusations, though he was reinstated three months later, highlighting the contentious mix of legal scrutiny and political maneuvering.

Political Trurbulence

The irrigation scam allegations fueled political turbulence in Maharashtra. In September 2014, the NCP withdrew support from the Congress-led government, citing disagreements over Assembly seat-sharing, which indirectly intensified scrutiny of Pawar’s role in the irrigation projects.

Years later, at a Tasgaon rally in 2024, Pawar claimed that after the BJP came to power in 2014, CM Devendra Fadnavis had shown him a file signed by his party colleague and then Maharashtra Home Minister, late RR Patil, recommending an open inquiry against him. Pawar said this file reflected the political pressures he faced at the time.

Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan, who was CM when the NCP withdrew support, countered these claims, telling Indian Express, "I never signed the file and did not give a green signal to the open inquiry by the Anti-Corruption Bureau."

Targets and Alliance Shift

Throughout the 2014 and 2019 Assembly elections, the BJP repeatedly targeted Pawar over the alleged scam, with Fadnavis publicly warning of possible jail time. However, Pawar’s political movements, including a brief rebellion against the NCP in 2019 and the short lived four-day BJP-NCP government, shifted the party’s stance.

When Pawar returned to the NCP and later became Deputy CM in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, the BJP largely stopped targeting him, focusing instead on Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray.

Status of the Scam

In December 2019, shortly after the MVA government took office, the Maharashtra Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) issued a clean chit to Pawar regarding alleged irregularities in irrigation projects, stating in an affidavit to the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court that he had no direct involvement.

Notably, ahead of the BMC civic polls this month, Pawar had addressed allegations directly. This was his most recent remarks on the case before his death. Pawar stated that he had faced charges in the past and highlighting that some of those who once accused him had later become political allies.

Despite repeated allegations and political attacks, Pawar survived the legal and political storm, moving between roles in the MVA and Mahayuti governments. His sudden death at the age of 66 leaves behind a complicated legacy, a politician both hailed for his administrative skills and condemned in long-running controversies.