Power tussle over Bhima-Koregaon threatens Maha MVA Govt?

Grumpy Sharad Pawar drops subtle hints to Uddhav – be in limits.

Complaint by Jain community, 12^th Bomb Blast in Mumbai?

Mumbai: The decision of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to hand over the investigation into Bhima-Koregaon riots to National Investigation Agency (NIA) has not gone down well with the creator of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, Sharad Pawar. He has minced no words in expressing his feelings while speaking to media at Kolhapur, he endorsed the authority of Chief Minister to take final decision about investigations into the matter. Meanwhile, the doubts raised on the probe by Sharad Pawar flew out of window, with the Bombay High Court refusing to grant bail to Anand Teltumbde and Gautam Navlakha, the accused of having links to the Bhima-Koregaon violence.

Pawar had said, “the conduct of few officials involved in the investigations of Bhima-Koregaon violence was highly objectionable. I feel, it needs to be investigated and we were heading in the right direction. But within six hours of the demand to form a Special Investigating Team (SIT) to probe the matter all over again, the Centre handed it over to NIA.” Though he said that, it was the authority of Chief Minister to take final decision on the investigation, the political experts feel there is lot to it than what meets the eye.

“The statement by Pawar has raised more questions than answers. According to the law, NIA does not need state government approval to take over any investigation. Still, the state government opposed it. Knowing it fully well that the case won’t stand in the court, Pawar now wants to blame CM Thackeray for bending before the Centre, by claiming that the later over ruled the decision of Home Minister Anil Deshmukh,” said Anay Joglekar, political analyst.

Veteran journalist Ganesh Torsekar said, “The claim by Pawar that Jain community had complaints about the investigations and the officials involved in it, are baseless and laughable. I compare it to his claim of 12^th bomb blast in Mumbai in 1993. Back then also, with intentions to divert people’s attention, Pawar had claimed that 12^th bomb blast had taken place near Masjid Bunder.

Torsekar quipped, “it is his old style to tweak the facts and create confusion.”  He further alleged that Pawar is not interested in the investigation of the case, but in using it to reclaim lost ground in Western Maharashtra. “Pawar has lost ground to the organisation headed by Sambhaji Bhide. The later has demolished Pawar’s empire in Western Maharashtra. Pawar’s sole intention is to get Bhide and Ekbote arrested so that he can reclaim his empire.”

However, CM Thackeray has turned the tables on Pawar this time. By handing over the investigations to NIA, Thackeray has given a clear signal to Pawar, who remote controls the government. “Right from the beginning, Pawar had been calling the shots and Uddhav was dancing to his tunes. But this time, the later has refused to play in the hands of Pawar and paid in the same coin. The message is loud and clear. It is not just Pawar who can topple the government. It is Thackeray too, who can take the extreme decision if time comes,” Torsekar said.