"Those facing graft charges declared clean after joining BJP": Sanjay Raut

Sanjay Raut. File pic

Amid the battle for control of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) by factions led by Sharad Pawar and his nephew Ajit Pawar, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was involved in breaking other parties, adding that those facing corruption cases have been declared clean after joining BJP, reported news agency ANI.

Addressing media persons in Mumbai, Sanjay Raut said, "This is a conspiracy by the BJP. They are breaking other parties. They bring in members of other parties and put them in the BJP's washing machine to wash off the taint of corruption. Those who were alleged to be among the most corrupt have been declared clean after joining BJP."

Earlier, addressing a public meeting in Bhopal on June 27, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that NCP was involved in corruption of Rs 70,000 crores. He alleged that the NCP was involved in the Maharashtra Cooperative Bank scam, as well as scams in the irrigation and mining sectors.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday questioned the need to "steal" the NCP if the Maharashtra government is already enjoying the majority as claimed by the ruling BJP. He said the "one nation, one party" plan of the saffron party would not be accepted and claimed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's charisma has faded which was seen in the recently-held Karnataka assembly elections.

Thackeray also claimed he had been left with no option but to join hands with the NCP and Congress after the 2019 polls as Union Home Minister Amit Shah had refused to keep the agreement of sharing the chief minister's post between BJP and Shiv Sena (undivided).

After splitting the NCP down the middle and joining the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance in Maharashtra along with 8 senior MLAs, Ajit Pawar took oath as the deputy chief minister.

Opposition leaders, including the Congress, which partners with Sharad Pawar's NCP and the Sena (UBT) in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), hit back at PM Modi over his remarks against the NCP.

"I am surprised that two days back, PM Modi said in Bhopal that the NCP did corruption of Rs 70,000 crores," former Maharashtra CM Prithviraj Chavan said.

Congress general secretary KC Venugopal said, "PM Modi had levelled a big allegation against the NCP leaders, accusing them of corruption. And now, we are seeing all this drama."

Earlier, in yet another setback to former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Neelam Gorhe, who was in the Uddhav Thackeray faction and the deputy chairperson of Maharashtra Legislative Council, joined the ruling NDA of the BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Sena in Maharashtra.

(With inputs from ANI and PTI)