Just as Chhatrapati Shivaji escaped from Agra, I fled from Guwahati, says MLA
Just as Chhatrapati Shivaji escaped from Agra, I fled from Guwahati, says MLA
even as Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde’s rebellion within the party Attracting more MLAs and widely dividing the party, MLA Nitin Deshmukh returned to Maharashtra accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Gujarat officials of conspiracy to kidnap and harm them.
The MLA, whose wife had earlier filed a ‘missing’ complaint with the Akola police, also claimed that several MLAs along with Mr Shinde wanted to return to Maharashtra, which meant they were taken to Surat under pressure.
The MLA from Balapur constituency of Akola (in Maharashtra’s Vidarbha region), said his dramatic return to Maharashtra from Guwahati was tantamount to “Shivaji’s escape from Aurangzeb’s clutches in Agra”.
“Despite the fact that I am in good health, I was taken to a government hospital in Surat on Tuesday. Then, I saw the police who brought me there and the doctors were talking amongst themselves… I suspected they were trying to harm me. I told the doctor that I do not have any disease. He claimed that I had suffered a heart attack, though my blood pressure remained normal. I felt that his intentions were not right. Then, 15-20 people grabbed me and put a needle on me,” said Mr. Deshmukh, speaking in Nagpur on his return from Guwahati.
He criticized the BJP and the Gujarat Police, saying that Shiv Sena MLA from Kolhapur, Prakash Abitkar had tried to leave Surat, but was later caught by the Gujarat Police and forced to return.
Mr. Deshmukh said, “I am going to Mumbai to discuss the entire matter with Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and then decide on the future course of action.”
Given Mr. Shinde’s claims that most of the Shiv Sena MLAs were with him, Mr. Deshmukh apparently remarked that he was “Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sainik”.
Refusing to give details of how he reached Maharashtra, he simply said that he returned to Nagpur in a chartered plane.
He further dismissed suggestions that he had signed any resolution forms, alleging that his signature and the footage of him signing had been tampered with.
Taking a dig at BJP, Mr. Deshmukh said that the party is behind all the turmoil, which is being wrongly believed to be the handiwork of Mr. Shinde.
“I urge everyone” Shiv Sena MLAs who are in Guwahati to return. Remember, all of you have not become MLAs on your own strength, but have got the blessings of Balasaheb and Uddhav Thackeray. I urge Mr. Shinde to come back… The party does not depend on MLAs but on the strength of ordinary Shiv Sainiks who are firmly behind. Uddhav ThackeraySaid Mr Deshmukh
Rejecting suggestions to incite outrage against Mr Thackeray’s performance as chief minister, Mr Deshmukh said: “What resentment? He [Uddhav Thackeray] Did everything that was possible during the COVID-19 pandemic. He waived the loans of farmers and was the most popular Chief Minister of the country. So where is the question of being disappointed with his performance?