Bawankule Meets Shirsat Amid Ladki Funds Row

Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Wednesday called on social justice minister Sanjay Shirsat to pacify him after the Shiv Sena leader expressed unhappiness over the diversion of funds from his department towards the populist Majhi Ladki Bahin scheme, according to people aware of the developments.

- HT Correspondent

MUMBAI: Bawankule and Shirsat, however, insisted that they met to discuss a project in Kamathi, Nagpur.

Bawankule visited Shirsat's official bungalow in Mumbai on Wednesday morning, according to people in the know. Shirsat, a Dalit leader, had earlier accused the Ajit Pawar-led state finance department of high-handedness for diverting funds from his department, meant for the welfare of the Scheduled Castes and other underprivileged sections of society, towards the Ladki Bahin scheme without his knowledge. He is also unhappy about corruption charges levelled against him, as he believes the information is being provided to the Opposition from within the government to defame him.