Opposition says BJP’s ‘washing machine’ in action

Opposition parties on Sunday lashed out at the BJP after NCP leader Ajit Pawar and eight others were inducted into the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government, saying the ruling party’s “washing machine” has resumed its operation to clean tainted leaders and it was an “ED-facilitated power grab”.

Ajit Pawar, who split the NCP and took oath as the deputy chief minister of Maharashtra, said his party decided to join the BJP-Shiv Sena government for the development of the country and praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.

Raising the corruption allegations faced by the newly inducted ministers, the opposition parties said the BJP can no longer talk about fighting corruption after joining hands with them and alleged that democracy is being “disrobed” in Maharashtra.

The BJP, however, took a dig at the opposition parties saying those trying to forge an alliance against it are unable to keep their leaders united.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, “Clearly the BJP’s has resumed its operations. A number of new entrants into the BJP-led alliance in Maharashtra today had been facing serious corruption charges with ED, CBI and Income Tax authorities after them. Now they have all got a clean chit.” The Congress will intensify its efforts to free Maharashtra from the clutches of the BJP, Ramesh asserted.

 BJP’s washing machine has resumed its operations. A number of new entrants into the BJP-led alliance in Maharashtra today had been facing serious corruption charges with ED, CBI and Income Tax authorities after them. Now they have all got a clean chit.The Congress…

— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) July 2, 2023

The Congress said its president Mallikarjun Kharge and party leader Rahul Gandhi spoke with NCP chief Sharad Pawar and extended support to him. Gandhi, however, did not refer to the Maharashtra developments in his address at a rally in Telangana.

“The BJP’s dirty tricks department is working on overdrive in Maharashtra. This is not a legitimately elected government, but an ED-facilitated power grab. The Maharashtra government is a product of corruption and sin,” AICC general secretary K C Venugopal alleged on Twitter.

The Congress is part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance that also comprises Shiv Sena (UBT) and Sharad Pawar-led NCP.

“The oath-taking ceremony in Maharashtra was part of Operation Lotus and it has no official support of NCP. Those who took oath, it is their personal decision and not that of the NCP,” Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) spokesperson Mahesh Tapase said.

After the revolt, NCP chief Sharad Pawar said it is “not a googly but a robbery”, referring to BJP’s move, and made it clear that his party will not fight the battle legally, and he would instead go to the people and seek their support.

The BJP’s dirty tricks department is working on overdrive in Maharashtra. This is not a legitimately elected government, but an ED-facilitated power grab. The Maharashtra government is a product of corruption and sin. The people have very well identified the traitors, corrupt and…— K C Venugopal (@kcvenugopalmp) July 2, 2023

He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently levelled allegations against the NCP saying that the party indulged in corruption.

“I am happy today that he gave cabinet berths to some colleagues from the NCP. It shows that the allegations of corruption were not factual. He has exonerated the party and all those against whom he had levelled allegations and I am thankful to the PM for this,” he said.

After inducting “corrupt men” as ministers, the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi cannot talk about fighting corruption, senior TMC leader Babul Supriyo, who was earlier a minister in the Modi government and had switched from the BJP, said.

Calling the BJP “hypocrite”, Supriyo, a minister in the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal, said tainted leaders under the scanner of ED for corruption have been put into a “washing machine” manufactured by the BJP to remove their stains and blemishes.

But Chief Minister Shinde ridiculed the opposition parties who “routinely predict” the fall of his government. “From day one, opposition parties have been predicting the fall of the state government. Now, they must be very disappointed. I wonder which astrologer is giving them such advice,” he said.

RJD leader Mritunjay Tiwari also said the BJP has engineered the defection to save its government in Maharashtra.

CPI(M) leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami said it is one more lesson for the people and the Opposition to close ranks.

PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti said no words are enough to condemn the manner in which the BJP has repeatedly undermined the popular mandate in Maharashtra.

Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal tweeted, “I guess this is the mother of democracy that Modiji was talking about in his address to the US Congress!” “BJP doesn’t believe in people’s power, they only believe in politics of defections (jod-tod ki rajniti) and this time they will get a big shock,” JD (U) president Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh said.

With inputs from News18

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