Kirit Somaiya on new NCP ministers: Won't be right to comment on matters in court

BJP leader Kirit Somaiya who was reportedly vocal about allegations of corruption against many Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leaders, including recently inducted ministers Ajit Pawar, Chhagan Bhujbal, Sunil Tatkare and Hasan Mushrif, on Tuesday refrained from commenting against them, according to the PTI.

 

Asked about the new NCP ministers, Kirit Somaiya said that it would not be appropriate for him to make any comments on these people as matters related to them are in court, reported the PTI.

 

For over two years, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Member of Parliament had been holding press conferences levelling charges against these political figures apart from making frequent visits to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office to file complaints and documents.

 

Asked how he perceives the new political alignment in Maharashtra where the Ajit Pawar faction of NCP has joined hands with the BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, Kirit Somaiya said, There are cases pending before the court against these people. It won't be appropriate for me to make any comment at present.

 

Ajit Pawar and eight of his colleagues joined the Eknath Shinde government on July 2. While Ajit Pawar was made deputy chief minister, the others were sworn in as ministers.

 

Several NCP ministers have been accused of corruption and cases had been registered against them by central probe agencies. I did my duty and I am a disciplined party worker, Kirit Somaiya added.

 

Meanwhile, days after the Shiv Sena (UBT) approached the Supreme Court for speedy adjudication of disqualification petitions against 16 Shiv Sena MLAs including Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Narwekar has said the court cannot dictate a timeframe to the Speaker for a decision on the matter.

The plea moved by Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Sunil Prabhu last week alleged Speaker Narwekar was deliberately delaying the adjudication despite the May 11 verdict of the apex court.

The speaker, despite the categorical direction of the top court in its May 11 judgment that the pending disqualification petitions must be decided within a reasonable period, has chosen to not conduct a single hearing, the plea said.

Prabhu, as chief whip of the undivided Shiv Sena, had in 2022 filed the disqualification petitions against Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and other Sena MLAs who tied up with the BJP to form a new government in June last year.

 

(with PTI inputs)

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