MUMBAI: Social activist Anjali Damania on Thursday accused former Maharashtra minister Eknath Khadse of dragging her name to settle political scores with his opponents, and warned him against doing so in future.
Khadse on Wednesday resigned from the BJP and is set to join the NCP on Friday.
After quitting the party, Khadse had hit out at former Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, accusing him of trying to destroy his life and political career by playing "dirty politics" with him.
Khadse had also alleged that Damania had filed a molestation complaint against him over his speech and the police had registered a case in that connection on Fadnavis's instructions.
Talking to reporters in Mumbai, Damania said, "My fight has always been against corruption and I am not a stooge of any political leader. I warn Khadse against using my name to settle political scores against his opponents. I am strong enough to teach him a lesson."
"Khadse had allegedly used foul language against me, following which I had lodged a complaint at Wakola police station in Mumbai in September 2017. The police had registered a case, which was later transferred to Muktainagar police station (in Jalgaon district) as Khadse had made the statements there," she said.
"I had visited the police stations and the magistrate office to record my statements. But no action was taken on it only because of dirty politics of the then CM Fadnavis. But I want to reiterate that I have personally nothing to do with Fadnavis," she said.
She alleged that Fadnavis was equally responsible for stalling the investigation against Khadse.
Damania also alleged that Khadse had lied that charges of molestation against him had been dropped.
"As per my information, no FIR has been quashed yet because charge-sheet has not been filed yet," she said.
"Khadse is vengeful and a loose talker. I wonder why NCP chief Sharad Pawar is ready to induct him into his party when he is facing so many changes, especially when several NCP ministers are also facing charges of corruption," she alleged.
Meanwhile, when asked about Damania's allegations against him, Khadse said he would comment on it on Friday.
"I will speak on the issue tomorrow," he said without elaborating. Once seen as No. 2 in the then Fadnavis cabinet, Khadse resigned as revenue minister in 2016 overland grab allegations, and since then he has been largely sidelined in the saffron party.