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Blame-game between Kolhe, Adhalrao heats up
The sitting MP and Maha Vikas Agadhi (MVA) candidate Amol Kolhe on Saturday, May 4 alleged that rival candidate Shivajirao Adhalrao Patil (NCP candidate under Mahayuti) raised questions in parliament related to the defence ministry to benefit his own companies and not related constituency
The verbal clash and allegations between the two key Shirur Lok Sabha constituency candidates have reached the next level as the campaign arrives in the final phase for polling scheduled on May 13.
The sitting MP and Maha Vikas Agadhi (MVA) candidate Amol Kolhe on Saturday, May 4 alleged that rival candidate Shivajirao Adhalrao Patil (NCP candidate under Mahayuti) raised questions in parliament related to the defence ministry to benefit his own companies and not related constituency.
Kolhe, in the video posted on social media, said that in 2017 and again in 2019, Adhalrao Patil as MP of the constituency raised questions about the warship deal approval and mentioned that Indian companies have shown displeasure about the collaboration between India and Russia for the project. In reply, the Defence Department replied that a state-of-the-art indigenous weapon system sensor package would be installed in the warship. Furthermore, Patil asked what steps the government has taken to involve Indian companies in the project, Kolhe claimed.
Kolhe, said, “The company Dynalog was founded by Adhalrao Patil, and the company likely supplies the component ‘Torpedo Fire Control System. The questions are raised by a company owner and a person related to the company which supplies components to these War ships as a representative of the Shirur Lok Sabha Constituency. If Adhalrao Patil stands by his words he should answer the Shirur constituency residents,” he stated.
Refuting the allegations, Adhalrao Patil said the documents shown as evidence are misleading and this has nothing to do with him.
“The questions were not raised by me alone in the parliament, there were five more MPs who had raised the questions. The information about the Defence Department is confidential and cannot be made public,” he said.
He further added that the video released by Kolhe has nothing to do with the company and questions raised in parliament.
“I had founded the company but resigned from the post two decades back. These are tricks to mislead and confuse the voters, soon I will come up with my response to it.”
Two days earlier, Kolhe had claimed that Patil was only worried about his business enterprises and ignored the constituency. He also claimed that Patil asked 60-70 questions related to the defence ministry not to his constituency and was concerned about purchasing software and getting contracts from the ministry. In response, Adhalrao Patil had challenged Kolhe to come up with evidence and would back from the election if the allegations were true.
Kolhe said this evidence is just a trailer and Adhalrao Patil should answer the citizens while asking for votes for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
“The voters should know what the reason was to ask these questions related to the defence department. This is evidence of the challenge given by him and now if you are sure of your words, then withdraw from the elections,” he said.
