Maharashtra Women and Child Development Minister Pankaja Munde, who is under fire for allegedly flouting rules in awarding contracts worth Rs 206 crore, today said that she has not done anything wrong. Clarifying her stand on what has come to known as  ‘chikki-scam’, she said, “I was on leave when the accusations were made. This is just a purchase of Rs 206 crore, the word scam was added later.” Munde challenged the might of her detractors both within and outside the party and asked CM Devendra Fadnavis to initiate a probe into the allegations, saying she would quit if she was found guilty.

Ready to face any probe but won’t resign, says Pankaja Munde:

Housing Minister Prakash Mehta showed up halfway through the conference, questions were raised on why the party had not mounted an all-out defence for Munde, especially since Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar and Cooperatives Minister Chandrakant Patil had, just a day before Munde’s conference, joined Education Minister Vinod Tawde in refuting allegations of irregularities on the latter’s part in issuing a contract worth Rs 191 crore.

Pankaja said there was no question of her favouring any contractor, as the companies in question had been there since the Congress regime, and she had simply continued what the Congress Government had been doing in the department.

Must Read: Pankaja Munde at the Centre of Rs 206 Crore Scam

At the press conference after her return from London from a short vacation, Pankaja said she was prepared to face any inquiry but ruled out her resignation at this juncture.

She said she had not violated any rules. “During Congress rule, a total purchase of Rs 408 crore of host of items under the ICDS was made on the rate contract basis during 2010-11 and 2014-15. Do I term it a scam?” she asked.

Five Things Pankaja Munde Said in Her Defence:

• I have decided to speak out to give the true picture after various stories have appeared in newspapers and TV channels about the so-called scam.
• I was following the same pricing as the contractors and the same procedure as my predecessors from the Congress-NCP leadership.
• After the documents alleging wrongdoing were submitted to the Chief Minister, he examined them and concluded that I have done no wrong.
• I have personally given a clarification to the Chief Secretary. The equipment purchased was necessary to fight against malnutrition in Maharashtra.
• The allegations against me are politically motivated.

Also Read: Pritam Munde Breaks Modi’s Lok Sabha Record

“And I’m not alone… I have lakhs of my supporters with me. And the CM and others have already said I have done no wrong,” she said, when asked whether the party had left her to fend for herself.

However, the opposition congress, which had earlier accused Pankaja of a nearly 206 crore scam last week over the purchase of school supplies, has demanded her resignation in connection with alleged irregularities in dam awarding contract.