Devendra Fadnavis ignores Shiv Sena's demand for BJP legislator's sacking

Devendra Fadnavis

The BJP wants Shiv Sena's hand in a pre-poll alliance but it won't approve every single thing the party wants. Sena ministers were given a sense of this yesterday when they demanded that a BJP legislator, accused in the killing of two Sena workers in Ahmednagar, be sacked with immediate effect.

Sources close to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who the ministers petitioned ahead of a weekly Cabinet meeting, did not commit to anything over the demand for dismissal of his MLA but promised that criminal cases registered against hundreds of Sena workers, accused of rioting after the murders, would be withdrawn.

In cold blood
Last Saturday, Sena's Sanjay Kotkar and Vasant Thube were shot dead, allegedly by the henchmen of NCP legislator Sangram Jagtap and his father-in-law Shivaji Kardile, a BJP leader. Sangram, Kardile and their close relative Bhanudas Kotkar have been arrested, while another accused, Sangram's father Arun, who is NCP's member of the state Upper House, is still at large.

The murders are said to be a fallout of rivalry in Ahmednagar local self-government's by-elections. Along with the three legislators, 50 others have been booked or arrested in the case that has rocked the state's political circles. Sandeep Gunjal, 28, who the police suspect is the shooter, had surrendered himself to the Parner police with the weapon allegedly used in the crime. According to the police, Gunjal told them that he committed the crime over an age-old rivalry and that there was no political link to it.

'NCP, Cong, BJP in cahoots'
Sena minister Ramdas Kadam, who met the CM yesterday and had earlier visited Ahmednagar, had told media persons that the NCP, Congress and BJP had conspired together to commit the murders.

Yesterday, he said, "We demanded Kardile's expulsion from the BJP, but the CM said nothing about it. However, he has promised that no guilty will be spared." Sources said Fadnavis also promised to withdraw cases against Sainiks. Some 600 Sena workers have been booked for pelting stones, blocking roads, obstructing official work, abusing police officers and illegally keeping the bodies of the slain workers for over three hours.

Action reaction
The Opposition party's leader Ajit Pawar has given a clean chit to his legislators, saying the Jagtap father-son duo was being framed in a political conspiracy ahead of the Assembly polls. Pawar has challenged the police to find the mastermind behind the murders.

Following the filing of the case, Kotwali police station inspector Abhay Parmar has been suspended. His supervisor and Deputy SP Akshay Shinde will be probed for his role. A special investigation team (SIT) has been formed under Additional Superintendent of Police Rohidas Pawar, and will have inspector Dilip Pawar from local crime branch and inspector (cyber) Sunil Pawar on it.

Also Read: Devendra Fadnavis: All "Secular But Hindutva" Parties Will Come Together

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