Suspended NCP leader Padmasinh Patil, against whom noted social worker Anna Hazare has demanded action, on Sunday said Mr. Hazare has taken a supari (contract) to defame him.
“Hazare has taken a supari (contract) to defame me. It is a conspiracy to finish my political career,” Padamsinh, released on bail in the 2006 Pawanraje Nimbalkar murder case, told reporters. “I will campaign for NCP,” he added.
Mr. Hazare began an indefinite hunger strike at his village Ralegansiddhi in Ahmednagar district on October 2, demanding action against Mr. Padmasinh Patil, who he alleged, plotted to murder him.
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“I have so far launched agitations against several political parties but no other party was as dangerous as Sharad Pawar’s NCP,” Mr. Hazare said.
Mr. Hazare is also demanding for immediate action against state minister Nawab Malik, Padamsinh, former ministers Suresh Jain and Vijaykumar Gavit all of whom were found guilty of corruption and maladministration by the P B Sawant commission.
Mr. Hazare said the Commission submitted its report on February 23, 2005 but no action has been taken against Malik, Patil, Jain and Gavit till date.
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The Commission was appointed by the state government on September 1, 2003 following an indefinite hunger strike by Mr. Hazare who had levelled the corruption charges. All the four had tendered their resignations after the inquiry report was made public.
“Instead of taking action, Malik was made a minister again while Padamsinh Patil was given a ticket for Lok Sabha,” he said. MR. Padamsinh got elected from Osmanabad.
“Maharashtra will become another Bihar if criminals and corrupt people were given election tickets and made ministers,” Mr. Hazare said.
Saying he was against giving cabinet berths to relatives of ministers found guilty by the Commission, Mr. Hazare said “It shows that the politicians consider cabinet berths as their ancestral property.” Mr. Hazare said he was unhappy about political parties giving tickets to leaders indicted by the Commission.