BJP wants to eliminate opposition using money power, central agencies: Ashok Gehlot on Maharashtra politics
Jul 02, 2023
Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], July 2 : Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday attacked BJP over the major reshuffle in Maharashtra politics, alleging the party of trying to "eliminate" the opposition on the basis of money power and central agencies.
Earlier on Sunday, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)'s senior leader Ajit Pawar joined Eknath Shinde-led government in Maharashtra and took oath as the deputy chief minister of the state.
"The political developments that have taken place in Maharashtra today show that the BJP wants to eliminate the opposition parties on the basis of money power and central agencies. It is highly condemnable," Gehlot said in a tweet.
He further said, "All the leaders, including Ajit Pawar, whom the BJP used to accuse of corruption till yesterday, were inducted in the cabinet. The BJP has been nervous ever since the opposition parties started coming together, due to which it is breaking regional parties by putting pressure from central agencies. No matter how much the BJP tries, the public has decided that it will give a befitting reply when the time comes to thwart these attempts to kill democracy," Gehlot said further in the tweet.
While Congress leader Jairam Ramesh also took a dig at the BJP following the development and said, "BJP's Washing Machine has resumed its operations".
Jairam's attack on BJP echoes allegations by the opposition parties that whosoever joins BJP gets a clean chit and get rid of all kind of charges and investigation from central agencies like ED and CBI.
Taking to Twitter Jairam Ramesh wrote "Clearly the BJP's Washing Machine has resumed its operations. A number of new entrants into the BJP-led alliance in Maharashtra today had been facing serious corruption charges with ED, CBI and Income Tax authorities after them. Now they have all got a clean chit."
"The Congress will intensify its efforts to free Maharashtra from the clutches of the BJP," read the tweet further.
Condemning the move by NCP leader People's Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday said that no words are enough to condemn the manner in which BJP has repeatedly undermined the popular mandate in Maharashtra after Ajit Pawar took oath as Deputy Chief Minister in CM Eknath Shinde led government in the state.
Mehbooba Mufti said that not only is democracy being butchered but the national anthem was played to provide cover for such actions. "No words are enough to condemn the manner in which BJP has repeatedly undermined the popular mandate in Maharashtra. Not only is democracy being butchered but they are using the national anthem to provide cover for such disgraceful actions.
On one hand, BJP is arresting political opponents on trumped-up corruption charges while they themselves are on an MLA purchasing spree. Hard-earned public money is being misused to quench BJPs' thirst for power," Mehbooba Mufti tweeted.
In a dramatic turn of events, Ajit Pawar, along with eight MLAs, reached Raj Bhawan to meet Governor Ramesh Bais. After Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar was sworn-in as Deputy Chief Minister in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in Maharashtra, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday said that the double-engine government in the state has now become "triple-engine and it will run like a bullet train".