BJP 'mastermind' behind Sunetra Pawar's appointment as deputy CM, claims Saamana
Mumbai (PTI): The Opposition Shiv Sena (UBT) on Monday claimed the BJP leadership was the "mastermind" behind NCP leader Sunetra Pawar taking oath as Maharashtra deputy chief minister, just days after her husband Ajit Pawar's demise.
An editorial in the Sena (UBT) mouthpiece 'Saamana' also alleged that the BJP leadership and Nationalist Congress Party leaders Sunil Tatkare and Praful Patel do not want the unification of the two NCP factions.
Sunetra Pawar took oath as the state's first woman deputy CM on Saturday, barely three days after NCP leader Ajit Pawar was killed along with four others in an air crash at Baramati in Pune district, inviting criticism from some quarters over the pace at which the development took place.
Rival NCP (SP) chief and Ajit Pawar's uncle, Sharad Pawar, on Saturday claimed that he had "no idea" about her swearing-in.
The editorial said Sunetra Pawar's deputy CM post should not be ornamental, and opined that she may not be "gungi gudiya" (mute doll) and work effectively.
The NCP is in an alliance with the "sanatani-minded" BJP, and Sunetra Pawar taking oath even before the completion of her husband's post-death rituals does not fit into the Hindutva beliefs, it claimed.
The editorial said that the question before Maharashtra is on whose wish Sunetra Pawar took oath as deputy CM, because neither NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar, its working president Supriya Sule, nor members of the Pawar family were aware of this.
Sunetra Pawar didn't even give the slightest hint that she was leaving for Mumbai from Baramati for the swearing-in, it said.
The BJP leadership is the "mastermind" behind this politics, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) claimed.
"The complications have increased in the Pawar family and Maharashtra politics after Ajit Pawar's death. Many wish that these issues do not get sorted out," it added.
The editorial claimed that after Ajit Pawar's death, there was unease in the NCP, as some leaders became more ambitious and there was a race to take charge as the deputy CM within the party.
There are differences between Patel and Tatkare, and Sunetra Pawar was "installed" as deputy CM because the party of "Patil-Pawar" should not go to Patel, it claimed, referring to NCP Working president Praful Patel.
Sunetra Pawar was made to steer the ship, but its engine and control are with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Both Sunetra Pawar and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena can maintain their existence at the mercy of Fadnavis, the Sena (UBT) charged.
The editorial said that the BJP will surely contest the 2029 assembly polls independently, and many MLAs from the Shiv Sena and the NCP will join the saffron party.
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Governor’s speech row: CM Siddaramaiah cites “Vartha Bharathi” editorial in assembly
Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday cited an editorial published in the Kannada daily Vartha Bharathi during the Assembly session. The Chief Minister was responding to a debate in the assembly held over the Governor's address to the joint session of both Houses of the State Legislature.
On January 22, Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot declined to read the customary address prepared by the government and made a two-line address before walking out on the first day of the State legislature session, triggering a major political row.
After the House reconvened following the lunch break, Speaker U.T. Khader gave CM Siddaramaiah the opportunity to respond to the debate on the motion of thanks to the Governor’s address. In his reply, the Chief Minister said the Governor left in haste without reading the full speech prepared by the government. He also pointed out that the Governor did not include the phrase “Jai Samvidhana” (Hail Constitution) and did not wait until the completion of the national anthem, stating that such conduct was inappropriate.
Referring to editorials published in various state dailies, the Chief Minister specifically cited Vartha Bharathi’s editorial dated January 23.
He said Governor Gehlot’s conduct during the January 22 session was not in keeping with the dignity of the constitutional office. Qouting the editorial the CM said, “the Governor appeared to act as though decisions and resolutions of the elected government required approval from him or the Central government, undermining the federal structure. Such actions violated the spirit of the Constitution and further fueled the already existing conflict between the Centre and the state."
Is Vartha Bharathi part of the government's cabinet? : V. Sunil Kumar
In the meantime, BJP MLA V. Sunil Kumar intervened the CM and questioned whether Vartha Bharathi was part of the government’s Cabinet.
Siddaramaiah responded saying, “no representatives of the newspaper were associated with the Congress party.”
Supporting the CM's statement and taking a jab at the BJP MLA, Minister Byrathi Suresh added, “None of Vartha Bharati’s representatives are there in our Cabinet. The editor of another newspaper was a member of your (BJP) party.”
