NCP leader Sharad Pawar on Wednesday complained to Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the vindictive politics of his government, referring to the coercive action against Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut by the Enforcement Directorate.
Though Pawar’s meeting with Modi always triggers speculation about political realignment, the NCP leader himself offered the clarification, asserting that the Maharashtra coalition will not only survive but return to power by winning the next election. “There is no threat to the Maharashtra government, it will complete full term,” he said.
Pawar admitted he took up the Sena leader’s case, saying: “Raut is a Rajya Sabha member. What was the need for the ED action against Raut? Injustice has been done to him.”
The NCP chief later said he spoke to Modi about the attaching of Raut’s properties by the Enforcement Directorate.
“If a central agency takes a step like this, then they’ve to take responsibility for it… is this action against him because he speaks against the government?”
The ED issued a provisional attachment under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act to freeze the plots and flat belonging to Raut and his wife. The case is related to a money-laundering charge and a land scam in Mumbai.
Raut had dismissed the investigation as political vendetta and declared that he can’t be cowed down. “Am I Dawood Ibrahim? Am I Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi? I’m not one to get scared, seize my property, shoot me, or send me to jail. The truth will prevail,” he said.
There is a perception that the Maharashtra coalition is under intense pressure after actions by central agencies and Raut himself has alleged that the BJP wanted to pull down the state government. While former home minister Anil Deshmukh had to resign and was sent to jail in a corruption case, several other leaders from NCP and Sena are facing investigation. The coalition leaders have repeatedly said the BJP could not digest the Sena’s decision to cross over to the secular camp and was misusing agencies to try to topple the government.
