NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday said he will ensure democratic protests in all talukas of Maharashtra if his party’s Satara candidate Shashikant Shinde is arrested, news agency PTI reported.
Speaking at a rally on the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Satara, Pawar said a case was registered against Shinde in the “APMC FSI matter” on Friday night.
“There is an attempt to stop him from contesting the elections. If that happens and he is arrested, I will ensure that each and every taluka (tehsil) protests in a democratic manner,” the veteran politician said, PTI reported.
People must be alert and bring about a change in government through the polls as democracy is under threat, he added.
Shinde, in his speech, said that no matter how many cases were registered against him, he would never leave Sharad Pawar, PTI reported.
The BJP has fielded Udayanraje Bhosale, a descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, from this western constituency of Maharashtra.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday said the Shiv Sena (UBT) should be ashamed for ignoring Bal Thackeray’s principles and having to vote for the Congress.
The Congress has elected Varsha Gaikwad from the Mumbai North Central Lok Sabha seat, where Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray is a voter.
Gaikwad had met Thackeray on Friday and the latter had assured him of victory.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Congress are part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance, which also has the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (SP).
Addressing a massive rally for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Kolhapur, attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Shinde said the move was a departure from Bal Thackeray’s determination not to allow the (undivided) Shiv Sena looked like Congress.
“The Shiv Sena (UBT) should be ashamed of itself,” the Maharashtra CM said.
Addressing the rally, Shinde said the prime minister had selflessly dedicated himself to the service of the nation while the opposition lacked any kind of leadership.
Criticizing Rahul Gandhi and the Congress state, he said the grand old party was like a seed from which discord was sprouting.
(With input from PTI)