Fadnavis not party to NCP merger talks, has no right to comment: Sharad Pawar
Baramati (PTI): NCP (SP) head Sharad Pawar on Wednesday said Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was not part of merger discussions between the two Nationalist Congress Party factions and therefore had no right to comment on them.
Speaking to reporters in Baramati, the former Union minister claimed that NCP (SP) leader Jayant Patil and his nephew and NCP chief Ajit Pawar had been leading the merger talks.
Deputy CM Ajit Pawar died in a plane crash at Baramati in Pune district on January 28.
After his death, Sharad Pawar and other leaders of his party claimed that merger talks were in advanced stages and Ajit Pawar had finalised February 12 as the date to announce reunification between the rival factions.
CM Fadnavis, however, said if the merger talks were really in progress, then Ajit Pawar would have shared details with him.
Asked about Fadnavis's remarks, Sharad Pawar said, "I do not understand, what right he has to mention my name? As he was nowhere in the merger talks, he has no right to comment on it."
He said that NCP (SP) leader Jayant Patil and NCP head Ajit Pawar had been leading the merger talks.
Asked if the merger will take place now, Sharad Pawar said that currently their priority is to support each other and then decide how to go ahead.
"As far as political discussions are concerned, we are not talking to anyone," he added.
To a question on the appointment of Ajit Pawar's wife Sunetra as deputy CM after his demise, the senior Pawar said it is a matter of happiness and satisfaction that she got the opportunity to serve in the post.
He, however, denied having any knowledge about a memorial for Ajit Pawar being planned on the premises of Vidya Pratishtan, the educational institution founded by the Pawar family in Baramati.
"I have read about it in the newspapers. There has been no discussion on it yet. We will sit together and decide," he said.
Notably, Kiran Gujar, a close aide of Ajit Pawar and confidant of the Pawar family, on Sunday said the memorial has been planned on the Vidya Pratishthan premises where the NCP leader's last rites were performed.
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Uproar in Karnataka Assembly as opposition protests demanding minister to resign
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Wednesday witnessed uproarious scenes with BJP and JD(S) members protesting from the well of the House, demanding the resignation of Excise Minister R B Timmapur, alleging a multi-crore scam in his department.
The opposition on Tuesday had staged an all-night protest in the Assembly after Timmapur refused to quit over corruption charges against him and his son in liquor licensing and transfer of officials.
As the House met for the day, BJP and JD(S) MLAs, who were in the well of the House, shouted slogans, demanding Timmapur's resignation.
Leading the charge, Leader of Opposition R Ashoka alleged that in the Excise Department, bribes are being taken for granting licenses and for facilitating transfers.
ALSO READ: Excise scam allegation: Bhajans, sloganeering mark Opposition's overnight protest in Assembly
Wine merchants' association has alleged that the scam in the excise department is to the tune of about Rs 6,000 crore, and related audio recordings have been released, complaints have been filed with the Lokayukta, he said.
He also claimed that the "looted money" was being used by the ruling Congress to fund the party in election-bound states.
Stating that he has provided three pen drives in the House, containing audio evidence to prove alleged scam in the excise department, and there are statement made by an Excise Deputy Commissioner about commissions going to the Minister, Ashoka said, Thimmapur should immediately resign, and there should be an inquiry.
"I urge the Chief Minister to take the Minister's resignation immediately, let there be an inquiry, and after three months if he is proved innocent, take him back in to the ministry," he said, adding that K J George of Congress and K S Eshwarappa, earlier with BJP, had resigned as ministers in the past, following allegations against them.
Questions are being asked as to what is the CM's share in this scam, for not taking any action against the minister, who is facing charges, the opposition leader said, "Siddaramaiah preaches morality, but does he have any morality?"
Valmiki ST Development Corporation funds were used by the ruling Congress for Lok Sabha polls, he alleged.
"Now for Assam polls, Deputy CM D K Shivakumar is the Congress election in-charge and for Kerala K J George is the in-charge, and the fund used in these elections is the Karnataka Excise department's. We have been alleging that Congress is using Karnataka as its ATM, but now it is emerging that for the Congress leadership, Karnataka is a Reserve Bank to fund their elections."
Following this, BJP and JD(S) members protesting from the well of the House shouted slogans demanding the Minister Timmapur's resignation; some slogans were also raised against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
As his repeated attempts to convince the opposition to withdraw the protest failed, Speaker U T Khader allowed the Congress members to continue with the discussion on the resolution moved by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the Assembly on Tuesday, urging the Centre to immediately repeal the VB-G RAM G act and reinstate MGNREGA.
After some time, as the protest and sloganeering intensified, Deputy Speaker Rudrappa Manappa Lamani, who was on the Chair, adjourned the House for some time.
