Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar on Saturday asked the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party to concentrate on governing Maharashtra properly rather than indulging in one-upmanship.
His comments came against the backdrop of the acrimony between the two ruling parties after an advertisement in several state dailies on Tuesday informed that Shinde was more popular as per a survey than his deputy and senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis.
Atrocities and crimes against women as well as communal incidents were on the rise in the state, while the police force, which is under Fadnavis who holds the Home portfolio, was unable to maintain law and order, Pawar said in a press conference here.
Queried on NCP working president Supriya Sule calling him the "Amitabh Bachchan" of Maharashtra politics, Pawar said the Baramati Lok Sabha MP may have said because she was his sister.
"You need not pay much attention to this remark. Have I ever acted like an angry young man (the portrayal of which in several films made Bachchan a film legend). If I had then people of Baramati would not have elected me so many times. In 2019, I won with a record margin of 1.65 lakh," he said.
Speaking on friction between the Eknath Shinde faction and the BJP, Pawar pointed out to a poster that has come up in Nanded, images of which have gone viral on social media.
"In the poster put up by a BJP functionary, there is reference of pachchaas khokhe (Rs 50 crore) and 105 doke (referring to 105 BJP MLAs). If the BJP itself is using the Rs 50 crore slur for Shinde MLAs, then it endorses (horse trading) allegations made by the Maha Vikas Aghadi and people," he said.
Taking a swipe at Shinde's statement post the advertisement row that his friendship with Fadnavis was like the strong bond of renowned adhesive brand Fevicol and they were like blockbuster film Sholay's 'Jai and Viru', Pawar asked why has it come to a situation where Shinde has to give such explanations and clarifications.
"Instead, they (ruling alliance) must focus on governance and issues like farm distress, unemployment, price rise. It is June 17 and there is still no sign of the rains. Areas like the Konkan are at the mercy of water tankers," he pointed out.
He said the Shinde government was mired in corruption for which Maharashtra will have to pay the price.
"Police are unable to maintain law and order. Hence, we have the right to demand the resignation of deputy CM and home minister Fadnavis," the NCP leader said.
On MVA seat sharing talks, the former deputy CM said the 18 seats won by the (undivided) Shiv Sena, four by the NCP and one by the Congress in the 2019 Maharashtra LS polls will be discussed later while the remaining 25 seats will be deliberated upon first.
"The Congress, NCP, Shiv Sena (UBT) must allot seats to their allies from their respective quotas," he added.
