Sena hit out at BJP for ‘using’ central agencies against Maharashtra govt

In an editorial in its mouthpiece Saamana, the Sena referred to BJP state president Chandrakant Patil and said some of the party leaders think the ED, the CBI “are in their pocket” and threaten political opponents

Maharashtra’s ruling Shiv Sena on Tuesday hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for allegedly using central agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against the state government.

Shiv Sena chief and CM Uddhav Thackeray. (HT archive)

In an editorial in its mouthpiece Saamana, the Sena referred to BJP state president Chandrakant Patil and said some of the party leaders think the ED, the CBI “are in their pocket” and threaten political opponents.

“...Patil has threatened...(Maharashtra minister) Hasan Mushrif...(citing) ED... Former MP (member of Parliament) Kirit Somaiya has made some allegations against Hasan Mushrif. These allegations seem to have been made at the behest of Chandrakant Patil,” it said.

The Sena accused the leader of opposition Devendra Fadnavis and governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari of behaving like “enemies of the Maharashtra government”. “From the governor to the leader of opposition, everyone is behaving like an enemy to the Maharashtra government. The Thackeray government in Maharashtra is not falling even after the central pressure...”

BJP spokespersons have said they do not react to Saamana editorials as a policy.