Rumours of Shiv Sena- NCP ‘rift’ over Home Department fly thick and fast , BJP warns Thackeray over ‘opportunistic’ NCP

Sanjay Raut accuses BJP of spreading canard to sow dissent within the ruling three-party MVA

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Mumbai: Amidst rumours of a rift within the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government allies – Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) over the alleged not so efficient handling of the State Home Department, the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has dubbed the Sharad Pawar-led NCP “opportunistic”. The BJP has further warned Chief Minister and Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray that Pawar’s party would ultimately “betray” him. 

The latest discordant note within the MVA was struck by Sena leader and spokesperson Sanjay Raut, who contended that the Home department under the NCP’s Dilip Walse-Patil was not being ‘aggressive’ enough in its response to frequent raids by central agencies on MVA leaders. The three-party led MVA have long been accused of being the handiwork of the BJP-ruled Centre.

“The Home Department should be more efficient. I had discussions with Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray in this regard. The fact that investigating agencies are brazenly entering Maharashtra and taking action (MVA leaders or persons) is an assault on the Home Ministry. Such incidents should be taken seriously. If anyone is ‘soft-pedalling’ or restraining themselves, then they are preparing a noose for their own hanging,” remarked Raut.

The Sena spokesperson had reportedly urged the State Home Department to take “bold steps” and face up to the Centre’s alleged misuse of probe agencies. Raut’s statements created quite a political stir prompting Chief Minister Thackeray’s office (CMO) to issue a statement denying any rift brewing within the MVA and Thackeray was happy with all ministers under him.

In a bid to further drive a wedge between the three partners, BJP State President Chandrakant Patil claimed that after the MVA had been formed (November 2019) he had apparently urged Thackeray to keep the Home Department with him. 

“But I was ridiculed at the time…the NCP is such a party that will put ‘Matoshree’ (Thackeray’s private residence) under surveillance,” said Patil, speaking to reporters in Kolhapur. Dubbing the NCP as a “selfish, opportunist party” with a “history of about turns”, the BJP leader claimed that it would betray the Sena at some point in their alliance. “This is the party which was first rejected by Sonia Gandhi when it suited their interests,” Patil said. 

Meanwhile, after his controversial remarks, Raut hit out at the BJP by stating that the ‘canard’ about the CM being upset on the functioning of the Home department was deliberately being spread by the BJP in order to sow dissent within the MVA. 

“BJP leaders have no reason to poke their noses into our (MVA government) affairs. Who are they to accuse Sena of wanting the Home Department for itself? Are they to decide on our portfolio allocation?” quipped Raut. 

Accusing central agencies of carrying out “terrorist activities” under the pressure of the BJP-ruled Centre, Raut said that Maharashtra adhered to the rule of law, the MVA government would never undertake such action against its opponents.  

Raut further added, “Myself and other leaders are of the view that the BJP’s ‘terrorist activities’ should be answered in kind,” Raut, while stressing that the Home Minister (Dilip Walse-Patil) was doing “a great job. There is no disagreement among the key leaders in the government. Our parties have trust in each other hence this government is functioning smoothly.” 

Following the central probe agencies’ arresting NCP leaders Anil Deshmukh and Nawab Malik, the Sena has been lately feeling the heat of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) with the agency attaching properties worth Rs. 6.45 crore owned by Shridhar Patankar, Uddhav Thackeray’s brother-in-law. 

This was followed by the ED attaching properties worth Rs. 11.35 crore of Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik and filing a chargesheet in a money laundering case against Pravin Raut, reportedly a close aide of Sanjay Raut.