Mumbai: Maharashtra BJP Chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Wednesday claimed that some of the legislators and MPs of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), who are upset over the current state of affairs in the opposition alliance in the state, are in touch with his party.
However, he did not divulge further details about what will be BJP’s strategy to deal with them.
“Some MLAs and MPs from Maha Vikas Aghadi are upset and they are expressing their uneasiness to us and many are in touch with BJP. Those who are in touch with us are complaining that they are being ignored in their respective parties and they are not getting support from their parties. Their parties are not convening meetings to discuss the present ground-level situation post-elections in their constituencies,” Bawankule said.
Bawankule’s statement is crucial as cracks surfaced among MVA allies over boycotting the swearing-in ceremony of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and later skipping the election of Rahul Narwekar as the Assembly Speaker for the second time during the three-day special session that concluded on December 9 in Mumbai.
Besides, some MPs are not happy with the lack of a cohesive approach to the functioning of MVA or the INDIA bloc.
Regarding ‘Operation Lotus’ alleged by the Opposition to split their parties, Bawankule said that the investigation agencies are doing their work.
“We have nothing to do with them. The opposition’s usual cry is that ED and CBI are being used against them. However, if anyone comes to our party under Devendra Fadnavis’ leadership to support Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a Developed India, he is welcome,” he added.
Bawankuke accused the Opposition of running a fake narrative about EVMs to garner votes in the upcoming civic body elections in the state.
“Instead of blaming EVMs, the leaders of Maha Vikas Aghadi should find out where they fell short in the elections,” he remarked.
He further targeted the Opposition, saying that it is their agenda to run a campaign against EVMs after defeat in the recently held Assembly election.
“The Supreme Court has already dismissed objections regarding EVMs, rebuking them saying that EVMs are good when they win and not good when they lose. So even now, even if they go to court, nothing will happen. The opposition should accept the fact that the people have rejected them and reflect on their defeat. The MahaYuti fell short as a party in the Lok Sabha elections. But then MahaYuti went back to the people, worked at different levels, and organised again,” he said.
According to Bawankule, the State Congress president Nana Patole has been kept on edge by the people as he won with a thin margin.
“Patole should find out the reasons why people turned their backs on him. The Congress leader filed a petition in the High Court to stop the Ladki Bahin Yojana which proved fatal for the Congress,” he said.
On the issue of the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, Bawankule said that the Assembly Speaker will take the appropriate decision after considering the laws and rules.
“The Opposition should introspect why they did not get enough support to get the position of the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly,” he added.
Asked about the cabinet expansion in the state, Bawankuke said that the leaders of the three parties in the Opposition and BJP central leadership will discuss it and make a proper decision in coordination.
He further added that MahaYuti’s priority is to fulfill the promises that were made to the people in the poll manifesto.
Bawankuke snubbed the party legislator Gopichand Padalkar for his personal attack against NCP-SP Chief Sharad Pawar at a rally in Markadwadi in Solapur district held on Tuesday.
He said that Padalkar would be reprimanded, asking him to refrain from making such a personal attack against Sharad Pawar.
(IANS)
