Tribune News Service
Mumbai, July 28
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis have been taking potshots at each other after several leaders from the NCP joined the BJP recently.
Pawar accused Fadnavis, state government and the Centre of unleashing agencies on leaders from the NCP to force them to join the BJP.
“The BJP is misusing power everywhere in the country. We have seen that in Karnataka. They are trying it in Madhya Pradesh. In Maharashtra, they are using the agencies against political leaders of Opposition parties so that they join the BJP ahead of the elections,” Pawar told reporters.
The NCP chief’s remarks came hours after former state unit chief of the party Madhukar Pichad, chief of its Mumbai unit Sachin Ahir and leader of its women wing Chitra Wagh quit the party. While Ahir joined the Shiv Sena, the others joined the BJP.
The Maratha supremo also alleged that the Enforcement Directorate and the CBI at the central level and the anti-corruption bureau at the state level were being used to harass his party men. “They are making phone calls to our leaders and threatening them with dire consequences if they do not quit our party,” Pawar said. He further alleged that the state government was misusing the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank to provide illegal help to those who switched sides. On Sunday, Fadnavis retorted that the BJP was not luring anyone from rival parties. “We are not running after anyone. Leaders of rival parties are running after the BJP. But we won’t accept anyone who has cases against them by the ED,” he said.
In war of words
NCP chief Sharad Pawar (left) accused Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, state government and the Centre of unleashing agencies on leaders from the NCP to force them to join the BJP. Fadnavis retorted that the BJP was not luring anyone from rival parties and would not accept anyone who has cases against them
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