Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday came down on Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar and asked him to introspect on why leaders of his party are quitting to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
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Mr. Pawar in Pune attacked Mr. Fadnavis, and claimed that it is the BJP that is poaching leaders from other parties by misusing law enforcement agencies, and threatening them, ahead of the Assembly polls.
“Mr. Pawar should introspect on why his people are not ready to stay with the NCP. The stand of the BJP is very clear. A lot of leaders from the Congress and the NCP are interested in joining the BJP. However, very few will be allowed. Those with ED cases will not be taken as we do not need such people,” Mr. Fadnavis told reporters in Nagpur.
The CM said the BJP does not need to pressure anyone to join it. “We are beyond running behind anyone. Now people (leaders) run behind the BJP. We will take care of those who are good and work for the people,” he claimed, adding the people of India are with the party, and trust the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
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Mr. Fadnavis said many sugar factories belonging to the members of Mr. Pawar’s party were helped by the government and State banks when they were in trouble. “But, we never asked them to join the BJP. He should introspect.”