Maharashtra govt aiding Suresh Kalmadi’s poll cause?

Suspended Congress MP Suresh Kalmadi wants to have a piece of the civic elections pie, and the state government is apparently ensuring that he does.

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), in its 71-page report placed before the state legislature during the recently concluded winter session, had pointed out several irregularities during the October 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games (CYG) held in the city. But, the state government hasn’t taken any suitable action so far.

And this is being viewed as the Congress leadership’s another go-ahead to the tainted city MP, president of the CYG’s organising committee, to call the shots in the upcoming civic polls.

On Thursday, Kalmadi was released on bail in a 2010 CWG graft-
related case.

Like the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, the report had singled out the CYG for many serious irregularities. 

Other than pointing out major irregularities in awarding of the contracts of various infrastructural works, the report had pointed out that the directorate of sports and youth services had failed to return the unused Rs3.47 crore to the state exchequer post the games.

However, Congress MLA Vijay Shivtare said, “The release of Kalmadi, and the reluctance of the state government to take action on the CAG report just prior to the elections can hardly be coincidences.”