Even as the resignations of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar, along with those of NCP Ministers on Tuesday sent the Congress into a tizzy, the Opposition parties in the State are far from impressed by what they are terming a “resignation drama.”
The Bharatiya Janata Party, that has been clamouring for the resignations of senior NCP leaders, Water Resources Minister Sunil Tatkare and Minister for Public Works Chhagan Bhujbal, dubbed Mr. Pawar’s act “a diversionary tactic” designed to divert attention from other scams.
“If the NCP were indeed serious, they should have sought the resignations from Sunil Tatkare and Chhagan Bhujbal three months ago instead of staging this drama,” said senior BJP leader Kirit Somaiya, who has filed PIL petitions against both Mr. Bhujbal and Mr. Tatkare.
The NCP has always been in the eye of the storm with three of its senior leaders facing allegations of corruption.
Minister for Urban Transport Gulabrao Deokar was charged with involvement in a multi-crore housing scam in Jalgaon district, though the Supreme Court later stayed the Bombay High Court order cancelling Mr. Deokar’s bail plea in connection with a housing scam.
“The move is a mere stunt,” said Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray.
His cousin, Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray said the NCP should refrain from indulging in “blackmail” and “applying pressure tactics.”
