BJP, Shiv Sena leaders trade barbs over Jarange’s audio clip

On Friday, Sena leaders alleged that the BJP used the quota activist to malign the deputy chief minister’s image, while BJP leaders hit back, warning their alliance partner against making accusations without evidence

MUMBAI: The simmering strife between the two Mahayuti partners—the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiv Sena—resurfaced a day after Sena leaders levelled allegations, claiming that the voices heard in the audio clip, released by Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil, belonged to BJP functionaries. In the clip, the speakers discuss a ₹500 crore payment to the activist allegedly routed through deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde’s son MP Shrikant Shinde. Sena leaders alleged these conversations show how shrewdly the BJP operates against its political rivals.

Manoj Jarange patil @ MPSC students protest near SM Joshi bridge -HT photo

On Friday, Sena leaders alleged that the BJP used the quota activist to malign the deputy chief minister’s image, while BJP leaders hit back, warning their alliance partner against making accusations without evidence. Insiders from both parties claim this was the culmination of brewing unease between the two parties.

While BJP leaders questioned the authenticity of the 32-minute audio, suggesting it could be an AI-generated fake, Sena leader Ramdas Kadam insisted that the tapes were genuine. He claimed that the recordings offered clues about an alleged political conspiracy and demanded an investigation to establish who was behind it. He also accused Jarange-Patil of misleading the Maratha community and creating divisions for personal political gain.

Alleging that the BJP was using the Maratha activist to tarnish Shinde’s image, Kadam said at a press meet: “The party uses other sources to funnel money. BJP MLC Pravin Darekar is heard speaking in the tape. Shinde saab trusted the BJP and joined hands with the party. Why then is the BJP worried about him? Our leader is being backstabbed. An investigation should reveal who is operating against Shinde.”

Underscoring that he would reach out to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, seeking an inquiry into the alleged conspiracy, he further alleged the BJP was using Jarange-Patil to politically weaken Shinde, “as his popularity had become a source of resentment for some political leaders”.

BJP’s Darekar, a close aide of chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, retaliated, at a separate press meet, saying, “BJP will not tolerate attempts to blame or malign the party and its leaders without evidence. As such public attacks damage the Mahayuti alliance, Kadam should exercise restraint, and allow the investigation ordered by the government to establish the truth.”

He also alleged, Kadam’s tirade could be linked to his efforts to secure a ministerial position and protect the interests of his two sons.

On the other hand, after casting his vote in the Nagpur Division Graduates’ Constituency election for the Maharashtra Legislative Council (MLC), on Friday, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis told the media that the audio clips revealed by the quota activist would undergo forensic examination.

“The tapes are two-and-a-half years old. It must be established why they have been released now and who is behind this act. The investigation will also reveal whether someone is being targeted through these recordings. Jarange-Patil has sought an inquiry, and our government will ensure that the truth comes out through a thorough investigation,” Fadnavis said.

Meanwhile, Jarange-Patil questioned how Kadam knew the date associated with the recordings and rejected the allegation that he was targeting Shinde.

“These recordings pose serious questions for politicians because they could expose how conspiracies are allegedly hatched against political opponents. The matter concerns political leaders across parties as well as the social movement. Kadam has accused me of targeting Shinde saheb, but by releasing these recordings, I have helped alert him to what I believe is a conspiracy against him,” Jarange-Patil said, adding that the recordings should be investigated.

The underlying friction between the two parties also came into focus during the murder of Pradeep Purnekar and the firing incident involving actor Tiger Shroff.

BJP leaders alleged links involving members of the Shiv Sena leadership – prominently, Meenakshi Shinde, a Sena leader from Thane considered close to Eknath Shinde.

Fadnavis met Purnekar’s son, assuring justice will be delivered, while BJP leader and forest minister Ganesh Naik visited the family in Thane – both acts, purportedly aimed to put pressure on Sena, said a party leader.

“In response, deputy CM Eknath Shinde visited Tiger Shroff within hours of the firing incident and assured him that the culprits would be apprehended and punished. This has been seen as an attempt by Shinde to establish his own political standing against the chief minister,” said the Sena leader.

Further tracing the threads of animosity, a BJP leader pointed to friction between the two parties in elections to five legislative council seats, where they fielded candidates against each other in Pune and other constituencies. Although the tussle has been brewing since the government was formed in December 2024, the leader said it now appears to have reached a peak. The latest controversy over Jarange-Patil’s recordings has added a new dimension to the tensions, with both allies demanding accountability from each other even as the government orders a forensic investigation.

(With inputs from Pradip Kumar Maitra)