Alliance partners criticise each other over Ghaywal case

Ravindra Dhangekar, former MLA and Shiv Sena leader who recently joined the Eknath Shinde camp, said, even if minister Yogesh Kadam has given such a recommendation letter, it is wrong. No public representative should support or endorse a criminal

Fresh tension has erupted within the Mahayuti alliance partners — the Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) — over the case involving gangster Nilesh Ghaywal, as leaders from both sides traded accusations ahead of the municipal elections.

Earlier, Dhangekar had accused Kothrud MLA and minister Chandrakant Patil of remaining silent on the Ghaywal issue, hinting that Patil had indirectly supported the gangster, who hails from his constituency. (HT FILE)

The controversy deepened after minister of state (MoS) for tourism Yogesh Kadam admitted that he had given his approval to gangster Ghaywal’s brother Sachin obtaining a weapon licence. “I approved the license since there was no case against Sachin Ghaywal since 2015 and court has acquitted him in previous cases in 2019,” said Kadam on Thursday.

Reacting sharply, Ravindra Dhangekar, former MLA and Shiv Sena leader who recently joined the Eknath Shinde camp, said, “Even if minister Yogesh Kadam has given such a recommendation letter, it is wrong. No public representative should support or endorse a criminal.”

Earlier, Dhangekar had accused Kothrud MLA and minister Chandrakant Patil of remaining silent on the Ghaywal issue, hinting that Patil had indirectly supported the gangster, who hails from his constituency. He also questioned Pune MP and Union minister of state (MoS) for civil aviation Murlidhar Mohol for not speaking up on the matter.

Despite several police cases registered against him, Ghaywal managed to obtain a passport and visa and fled the country to evade arrest — raising serious questions about political backing and lapses in verification.

As Dhangekar continued to target BJP leaders, city BJP president Dheeraj Ghate hit back on Thursday. “We have asked senior Shiv Sena leaders to warn Dhangekar. Otherwise, we will respond to him in our own style. He has changed several parties — from the Congress to the Sena — and seems to have forgotten where he stands. The BJP will no longer tolerate baseless allegations against Chandrakant Patil or other leaders,” he said.

With both alliance partners openly criticising each other over the Ghaywal case, the issue has become a talking point in Pune’s political circles ahead of the civic polls.