'Are you a minister exclusive to Vidarbha?'

Eknath Khadse

Ten months since he resigned in disgrace as a state Cabinet minister over his alleged involvement in a land allotment scam, former Revenue minister Eknath Khadse exacted payback from his own party on Wednesday when he put energy minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule in a corner.

While raising a question, Khadse pondered if Bawankule was the kind of minister whose work was restricted to Vidarbha alone. "Are you a minister exclusive to Vidarbha? You give power connection 24×7 in Vidarbha, but 14,000 farmers in Jalgaon [Khadse's home district] have not been given a power connection despite paying the charges," he noted.

Recalling the BJP's election manifesto that promised 24×7 power supply, he claimed that there was not enough electricity. "We are in government now and must fulfill the promise," he said.

Reversing from a previous position, Khadse not only demanded that power bills of farmers be waived off and their connections restored, but also wondered how it was fair to supply power for irrigation to farmers after 8 pm. "Do you expect farmers to go to fields in the night? Ask your officers if it is possible to work night shifts in farming."