Why NCP chief Sharad Pawar didn’t sack Maha home minister Anil Deshmukh

According to NCP insiders, the party top brass is convinced the allegations were malafide and, if Deshmukh resigns, the Opposition’s next target could be chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, as they want to pull down the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government

Claiming that the allegations of bribery made by former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh against home minister Anil Deshmukh were false, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Sharad Pawar on Monday reiterated that they will back the minister and not seek his resignation over the controversy. He stressed the allegations were made to divert attention from the bomb scare case, in which gelatin sticks were planted in a car parked near industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s residence, Antilia, in south Mumbai, as the anti-terrorism squad (ATS) arrested two persons allegedly involved in the murder of Mansukh Hiran, who was believed to be the owner of the car.

(Arvind Yadav/HT PHOTO)

According to NCP insiders, the party top brass is convinced the allegations were malafide and, if Deshmukh resigns, the Opposition’s next target could be chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, as they want to pull down the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.

Pawar pointed out flaws in the letter: “Deshmukh was in a hospital being treated for Covid when he met Vaze, according to Singh.” He said there was no need to initiate a probe into the allegations, however, it was the prerogative of Thackeray to decide over the probe or action and that he would be sharing fresh evidence with him as well. “In view of fresh evidence that proves that Deshmukh was not in Mumbai, it would not be fair to take his resignation… The BJP’s demand for home minister’s resignation has no substance… I am absolutely clear that allegations made against Deshmukh were incorrect as he was in Nagpur,” the NCP supremo said.

Hinting at the conspiracy, Pawar said, “It appears that the ATS probe is in the right direction. There are some names that need to be investigated in detail… I suspect that certain people may not want that to happen.”

“Their ultimate target is Thackeray. Since the beginning, the BJP is targeting him by making claims he wanted Vaze to be reinstated. Devendra Fadnavis (leader of opposition) said that when he was chief minister he got a call from Thackeray requesting Vaze’s reinstatement. In that scenario, if the party decides to remove Deshmukh, they (BJP) will train their guns on the chief minister and try to bring the government in trouble,” said a senior NCP minister, requesting anonymity.

However, Deshmukh may be shifted to some other department in due course of time. “He may be replaced by state labour minister Dilip Walse Patil,” said a senior minister.

Refuting the claims, Amit Malviya, national in-charge of BJP’s Information & Technology department, tweeted: “On February 8, a delegation of the Congress party met Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh, claiming that influential voices tweeted against anti-India voices, under pressure from the BJP. Where did the delegation meet Anil Deshmukh? In the hospital?”

Meanwhile, Fadnavis raised questions over NCP leader Sharad Pawar’s claim about the home minister being in hospital from February 15 and 27 after the Covid infection.

Responding to Fadnavis, the home minister in a video statement said, “I was infected with coronavirus and was admitted to Alexis hospital, Nagpur between February 5 and 15. While leaving the hospital after getting discharged on February 15, media persons wanted to ask some questions. I was fine by that time and thus decided to respond to the queries by sitting on a chair. Later, I left for my home and home quarantined till February 27. I stepped out of my home only on February 28,” Deshmukh said.

Reacting to queries raised by Malviya, state Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant said the meeting was held online.

“It is a full-fledged war against the MVA government,” said a senior NCP functionary. He was indicating towards senior BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar meeting the Governor and BJP MP Girish Bapat demanded imposition of the President’s rule in Maharashtra in the Lok Sabha.

Reacting to the demand for President’s Rule, Pawar said, “I have said this before as well. The case won’t impact the MVA government.”