Ministers and Cong MLAs were harassed by Ajit Pawar: Patole

Ajit Pawar, the deputy chief minister and a prominent member of the Nationalist Congress Party, is accused by state Congress president Nana Patole of harassing Congress MPs and ministers by delaying their development funding amid the worsening political unrest in Maharashtra.

Patole was referring to several Shiv Sena breakaway MLAs who were criticising the NCP for withholding development funding from them.

The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which is governed by the Shiv Sena, includes the NCP and Congress.

The state’s minister of finance is Ajit Pawar.

“Ajit Pawar has also harassed ministers and MLAs from the Congress. We objected to this strategy, arguing that government exists to promote human wellbeing. We did not object to this technique for political reasons,” Patole remarked.

Senior NCP official and minister Chhagan Bhujbal downplayed Patole’s claim when questioned about it, stating that “Even within parties, leaders complain against one other. Therefore, this should not be taken seriously.

Shiv Sena minister Eknath Shinde revolted from the party and travelled to Guwahati in Assam with several rebel MLAs, putting the MVA government in peril.