ACB probe will clear my name: Ajit Pawar

Do you think step taken by the state is adequate to help farmers?
Farmers are facing a crisis due to drought and unseasonal rains/hailstorm. Government has announced help, but it's not satisfactory. It costs more than Rs 2 lakh per hectare to develop a grape orchard. Rains/hailstorm have damaged most orchards, affecting farmers' livelihood. Besides bread and butter, farmers also have to think of replanting and paying interests on debt. In the assembly I had demanded Rs one lakh per acre, but the government announced only Rs 25,000 per hectare. The case of cotton, sugarcane and other crop farmers aren't different.

Your take on Central drought inspection team
Central team visiting drought-hit localities at night is not acceptable. How can they ascertain damage at night? It's rubbing salt into injury.

Do you think centre-state coordination is poor?
Seems so. Maharashtra is getting a step-motherly treatment. On sugarcane price, state BJP leaders including CM Devendra Fadnavis went to Delhi twice, but didn't get anything. During our regime, former agriculture minister Sharad Pawarsaheb used to put pressure on the central government in times of crises and get things done. That urgency is missing.

After BJP gained power in both Delhi and state, prices of most farm produce have fallen, putting farmers in dire straits. Farmer suicides have increased in Vidarbha, why so?
The export-import policy is responsible. The once prosperous milk business is in trouble because of encroachment by milk agencies from other states. And neighbouring states do not allow our firms to sell milk in their cities. Subsidies to milk/sugar business have been curtailed, affecting the entire agriculture sector. If the situation continues, soon the whole sector will be in real trouble, giving the state economy a body blow.

The government is set to table Dr Kelkar Committee report; will it expose the previous government's misdeeds and step-motherly treatment to Vidarbha and Marathwada?
In fact, it was our government which appointed Kelkar Committee to study region-wise growth. We haven't been partial to any region. Our conscious is clear on this. We are for inclusive growth.

CM has approved ACB probe into the alleged irrigation scam? What is your take on it?
SIT headed by Madhav Chitale was appointed on the demand of then Opposition leader Eknath Khadse, who himself had suggested Chitale's name. Now they are not satisfied with the white paper or Chitale report. Let ACB do its work. My conscious is clear; I haven't done anything wrong. Inquiries don't scare me. People have a right to know the truth. False allegations and hammering by the media have damaged my career. Once truth comes out, the issue will end once and for all.

What of Leader of Opposition? Both Congress and NCP had staked claim. Who should get it?
In the assembly, we have 41 legislators and Congress 42. However, we have the support of some independents and three PWP legislators. So we number more than the Congress. Hence, LOP is NCP's legitimate right. Speaker has the final say, however.