MUMBAI: The Maharashtra Opposition upped the ante against the deputy chief minister and senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis asking him to clear his stand over NCP leader Praful Patel whose property Enforcement Directorate (ED) reportedly attached due to his alleged links to Iqbal Mirchi, aide of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.
State Congress chief Nana Patole said if Nawab Malik is “anti-national,” then “what about Praful Patel.”
“Both NCP leaders are with DCM Ajit Pawar and their property is allegedly linked to the underworld, why blame Nawab Malik alone?” asked Patole.
He said the BJP’s double standards were exposed. “Fadnavis is trying to take the moral high ground, but it has backfired because another finger is pointed towards Praful Patel whom he hugged and took him by his side. It shows the fake love for the country and real love for the power irrespective of the background of these leaders,” Patole said.
Patole said PM Narendra Modi made serious allegations against Ajit Pawar in the irrigation scam, but within a few days, Ajit Pawar was inducted as DCM in the BJP-led government.
“People are smart, they are watching everything. The BJP should stop calling itself as a party with a difference,” he added.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC and leader of the Opposition in the legislative council Raosaheb Danave wrote to Fadnavis demanding that he clears his stand on Patel.
Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha member Priyanka Chaturvedi said on X that the Mahayuti alliance has exposed its “shameless conduct.” He said the letter written by Fadnavis was nothing but a lie about keeping the nation above power and politics but doing just the opposite. “If Devendra Fadnavis had any shame, he should have apologised to the people of the state.”
The BJP, however, defended Fadnavis. State BJP chief Chandrashekar Bawankule said he and the party supported the stand taken by the deputy chief minister in the matter.