Even the president's husband has to bow to political expedients sometimes. Devisingh Shekhawat, husband of President Pratibha Patil, had
promised an agitation against chief minister Ashok Chavan for hijacking the proposed Rs 300 crore orange processing plant by Citrus International AG, a Swiss company. The plant had been shifted from the President's hometown Amravati to Nanded. However, he appears to have backed out of the battle. Softening his stand against the state government, Shekhawat now says that his role in the issue is over as Chavan has clarified that he has not persuaded the company to shift from Nandgaon.
Speaking to TOI from the Rashtrapati Bhavan in Delhi on Sunday Shekhawat said that as promised he had met the chief minister personally during the ongoing winter session in city. Chavan told him that he had in no way influenced the company. "I have to believe the CM. I have also discussed the issue with the agriculture minister Harshwardhan Patil and he too said the same thing. Once it is clear that the government is not behind the company changing it's decision I cannot and should not make it a political issue," he said.
"I have not backed out of my commitment. My role is over as far the issue of pursuing it with the government is concerned. I will continue to support the orange growers and speak to the company itself. They are in touch with my son Raosaheb (Rajendrasingh Shekhawat), who is trying to talk to the company," Shekhawat said. Apparently, both Shekhawat and the CM are trying to play it safe now, as is evident from their statements.
However, the fire has not died down entirely yet. Manoj Jawanjal, secretary of Nagpur Orange, Mousambi, Fruit, Flowers and Vegetable Producers Association (NOMPA), said they are committed to continue the fight further. "If the CM truly hasn't hijacked the unit he still could have used his good offices to convince the company not to change it's decision to move out of Nandgaon. But he has not offered any such commitment so far, except pleading ignorance on the issue. Anyway, it is foolish to expect the CM will publicly accept that he hijacked the unit to his hometown. Which politician will admit to such a deal? And, here it is a question of no one less than the CM himself?" remarked Jawanjal.
Shridhar Thakre, president of Maha Orange, too has not called it a day yet, and is supporting Jawanjal. He says he is trying his best to meet Chavan in the next two days and request him to resolve the controversy. "Vidarbha orange growers and their associations have worked hard for over two years for the company by conducting feasibility studies. It was the company's decision to put up a plant at Nandgaon, which had raised our hopes and we got associated in the process. We had not forced the company to come to Vidarbha. If it is withdrawing due to extraneous influence after announcing the unit, we won't take it lying down," he said.
The orange growers associations are also waiting for the CM to answer the query of city BJP MLA Devendra Fadnavis on the issue. They are hopeful that some solution will emerge before the session ends. If nothing happens they are prepared to take to the streets and repeat their effort of seeking the President's intervention, as the unit was slated to come up in her hometown.
Former MLA Sunil Shinde could not be contacted on Sunday as his mobile phone was switched off. He held a press conference a day before the session began, demanding that the orange processing unit should come up at Amravati.