An audio clip released by Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil, in which an unidentified woman is claiming Rs 500 crore from the BJP was sent to him via Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde, has set off a war of words between allies BJP and Shiv Sena, as questions remain on where the money went, if at all.
The Shinde-led Sena has also written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, even though Fadnavis has already announced a probe. Fadnavis on Friday ordered a forensic examination of the clip after a Team Shinde delegation met him.
Eknath Shinde said Jarange Patil should have verified the claim first and should hand any evidence to the agencies concerned. “We all have the same question: why have these conversations emerged now, after two and a half years?” he said, news agency PTI reported.
Meanwhile, Jarange, who has denied receiving any money, called on Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to ensure a thorough investigation and hold everyone involved accountable, news agency PTI reported. The Shiv Sena led by Shrikant’s father and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde sees in it a conspiracy against him. The senior partner BJP also sees a plot behind allegations linking the money to the party. Kadam named BJP MLCs Pravin Darekar and Prasad Lad and displayed photographs of Lad and Jarange Patil sharing a meal. Eknath Shinde denied the allegation that he or his son ever got any money. He blamed Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut for trying to create a rift. He, however, claimed that the investigation would not produce any results. He was involved in the talks with Jarange.
Shiv Sena leader and former minister Ramdas Kadam has accused a section of the BJP of plotting to politically “finish” Eknath Shinde, Shrikant’s father. “You are trying to hatch a conspiracy to finish a Maratha leader (Eknath Shinde) by colluding with the BJP,” he said on Friday. Darekar, the BJP’s group leader in the legislative council, and Lad hit back, saying the party would not tolerate being put in the dock and that Kadam “should not become Sanjay Raut”, referring to a leader of Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT) who often attacks the BJP. Lad said it would soon come out who had backed Jarange Patil from behind the scenes “against Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis”, and warned that the BJP would respond “in kind”. “Neither have I given Rs 500 crore, nor have I taken it,” he said in Delhi. Lad later sought to settle the spat, saying the matter was “closed” after Sena minister Uday Samant spoke to him following talks with Shinde and Fadnavis. “We respect Eknath Shinde and regard him as our elder brother,” Lad said, according to PTI. Earlier reporting noted: Raut rejected the charge, claiming that a BJP member of legislative council (MLC) had leaked the recording amid what he described as “cut-throat competition” within the party. Earlier reporting noted: Responding to the allegations, Raut said Fadnavis should first register a case before ordering a forensic examination of the recording. The CM treated him with a lot of affection, which has backfired,” Raut said without identifying the lawmaker.
Earlier reporting noted: “The clip was leaked by a BJP MLC.
