Ganpat Gaikwad firing case: Sena ministers meet Fadnavis, seek action against BJP MLA for allegations against CM

BJP MLA Ganpat Gaikwad was arrested on Saturday for shooting at former KDMC corporator. Pic/Navneet Barhate

Several Shiv Sena ministers in the Maharashtra government on Monday met Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis seeking action against BJP MLA Ganpat Gaikwad for levelling baseless charges against Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, news wire PTI reported.

Kalyan East MLA Ganpat Gaikwad had, on February 2, opened fire at local Shiv Sena leader Mahesh Gaikwad and one more person inside Hill Line police station in Ulhasnagar. He was arrested for attempt to murder and other offences. Before being arrested, Ganpat Gaikwad had told a television channel that CM Shinde was encouraging criminalisation in politics.

Shiv Sena minister Shambhuraj Desai, who met Fadnavis along with other cabinet colleagues from his party, said, "We met him before the cabinet meeting and asked him to take action against Ganpat Gaikwad for making baseless, inaccurate and meaningless allegations against CM Shinde", PTI report said. Fadnavis, who holds the Home ministry in the Shinde government, will definitely take note of our demand, Desai added.

Desai, who is also guardian minister of Thane district, said Ganpat Gaikwad had never apprised him about his alleged issues with CM Shinde in the past one-and-half years.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Monday slammed the state government and asked no probe agency is swung into action after BJP MLA Ganpat Gaikwad claimed that CM Eknath Shinde owes him crores of rupees.

Speaking at a public rally in Rajapur, Ratnagiri, Thackeray that he does not support the action of Ganpat Gaikwad, who is accused of firing at a Shiv Sena leader inside a police station in Thane district on Friday, but the BJP MLA's claims cannot be easily ignored. "Why has no action been taken against the chief minister when BJP MLA Ganpat Gaikwad has levelled serious allegations against him", Thackeray questioned.

Uddhav Thackeray also said that he wanted to ask the ruling BJP's supporters that if their own MLA's issues were not being addressed by the government, why were they backing their party.

(With PTI inputs)