Maharashtra Congress leader Nana Patole stated his comments about the Maharashtra government spying on him were misinterpreted by the media.
He stated that the comments were misinterpreted and alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had created the problem to cause a rift in the alliance of Shiv Sena, NCP, and Congress.
He denied that the Chief Minister of Maharashtra had contacted him for an explanation on the matter. He responded that he had not heard a complaint from the Chief Minister, but he said he would meet with the CM and explain the matter if he got contacted. He said the allegation was dated in 2016, and along with him, several other leaders were involved. They had asked for a committee inquiry.
He had alleged that the Chief Minister of Maharashtra and Deputy Minister Ajit Pawar is keeping surveillance on him. He had also said that the Shiv Sena and the National Congress Party were threatened due to the rise of the Congress.
Nana Patole addressed a meeting organized in Lonavala where he claimed that at 9 am, the Home Department regularly submits reports to the Deputy Chief Minister, Ajit Pawar, Home Minister Dilip Walse-Patil, and the Chief Minister of Maharashtra Uddhav Thackeray.
The report submitted would include the Congress President’s meetings, agitations, discussions, etc. However, speaking to reporters and journalists in Nagpur, he stated that the media had misinterpreted his statements, which will be talked out with the other party members.
Nawab Malik, minister of the NCP, commented on the situation by stating that the police had always maintained a record of the movements of the ministers and high-ranking leaders, along with events and meetings for security reasons.
The State Intelligence Department (SID), for security reasons, keeps details of movements of senior political members, union leaders, and prominent personalities.
He asked Mr. Patole to consult the former chief ministers Ashok Chavan, Prithviraj Chavan, and Sushilkumar Shinde if he is unaware of such service. He also said that a minister who does not seek the security service could write to the Home Department about it.
Ashok Chavan had dismissed the claims of a rift in the alliance by stating the alliance is together, and the statement by Patol has been misrepresented.
Prithviraj Chavan did not comment on Mr. Patole’s statements. However, he stated that contesting solo in the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections was a separate matter altogether.
Nana Patole had said the Congress would be contesting the next Maharashtra election separately. The alliance between Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and Congress was formed in 2019. The decision of Congress to contest solo sparked the speculations that the alliance had a rift.
After Nana Patole made the comments, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary H K Patil, Public Works Minister Ashok Chavan, and Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat had paid a courtesy visit to Sharad Pawar, the president of Nationalist Congress Party.
It was described as a formal visit. It has been reported that the Congress ministers expressed that the media have twisted the words of Mr. Patole. The Congress leaders had assured the chief of NCP that the statements, which caused an uproar, will not be repeated.
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