The Maharashtra Congress on Friday criticised Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for roping in event management firm Wizcraft to handle the 'Magnetic Maharashtra' conference that will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday. Addressing a press conference, Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee spokesperson Sachin Sawant demanded to know why a company like Wizcraft, which he claimed was blacklisted, was being favoured.

"Two years ago, after a fire at Girgaum Chowpatty during a programme connected to the 'Make in India' celebrations, Fadnavis had told the Legislative Council that no contracts would be given, henceforth, to the company," Sawant said. He said that an FIR had also been filed against the firm for negligence and flouting safety rules in connection with the fire, adding that a chargesheet was still in the process of being filed almost two years after the incident. At the time, Sawant said, Fadnavis had assured the House that action against Wizcraft would serve as a lesson to all event organisers to adhere to standard operating procedures (sop). "Has the Chief Minister forgotten this assurance made on the floor of the House? Just saying that CII (Confederation of Indian Industry) had given the contract to the company for Magnetic Maharashtra is not enough. Fadnavis has to clarify," Sawant said.