Shiv Sena maintains silence over claims that Ramdas Kadam leaked info against state min

A day after Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Vaibhav Khedekar alleged that information against state transport minister Anil Parab was leaked by Ramdas Kadam – his colleague in the Shiv Sena – through Prasad Karve, the Uddhav Thackeray-led party has maintained silence on the issue

A day after Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Vaibhav Khedekar alleged that information against state transport minister Anil Parab was leaked by Ramdas Kadam – his colleague in the Shiv Sena – through Prasad Karve, the Uddhav Thackeray-led party has maintained silence on the issue. Party insiders said that the issue consists of personal enmity between Kadam and Parab.

A day after Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Vaibhav Khedekar alleged that information against state transport minister Anil Parab was leaked by Ramdas Kadam – his colleague in the Shiv Sena – through Prasad Karve, the Uddhav Thackeray-led party has maintained silence on the issue (HT File)

On Saturday, Khedekar – chairman of Khed nagar panchayat in Ratnagiri – in a press conference with Nationalist Congress Party leader Sanjay Kadam had produced eight audio clips that were purportedly between Shiv Sena leader Ramdas Kadam and a Right to Information (RTI) activist. Khedekar alleged that the information related to the irregularities in a resort and an office on a Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (Mhada) plot linked to Parab was provided by Kadam. Parab has earlier maintained that he has no links with these two constructions.

Party insiders said Kadam’s brother Sadanand is one of Parab’s business partners. The duo have been associates since the time Parab was involved in the cable network wing in Mumbai and parts of the state. Senior functionaries said Kadam did not appreciate that the party overlooked him while forming the government under Thackeray. It is also believed that Kadam was close to Bharatiya Janata Party leaders during the Devendra Fadnavis government. In 2017, when Parab was made the leader of the party in the legislative Council, Kadam had reportedly expressed his unhappiness to the party chief. Kadam’s term in the upper house of the state legislature ends in January 2022.

“This issue is not directly related to the party. There has been personal enmity between Ramdas Bhai and Parab for the past 30 years. Kadam’s brother has been Parab’s a long-term associate and has been helping him, which doesn’t go well with him (Kadam),” a senior party functionary said, on the condition of anonymity.

Parab was not available for comment.

In the audio clips, Kadam is reportedly speaking to Prasad Karve, who had lodged an official complaint over the irregularities of a resort in Dapoli. Kadam is also heard responding “very good” to Karve’s information that the district collector has formed a committee to probe the alleged coastal regulation zone (CRZ) violations.

Sadanand Gangaram Kadam, according to the allegations of BJP leader Kirit Somaiya, was reportedly the owner of the plot on which Sai Resort in Dapoli was constructed.

Ramdas Kadam, however, dismissed reports of personal enmity between him, his brother and Parab. He maintained that it was an opposition party’s (MNS) campaign to defame him.

“I have already spoken enough on this issue on Saturday. This is nothing but a campaign to defame me. I do not pay heed to these things. I am seeking advice from my lawyers over this and will pursue legal action,” Kadam said.