Sharad Pawar wants to save MVA government, hence defending it: BJP

Mumbai, Mar 17: BJP leader Sanjay Kute on Wednesday said that since NCP chief Sharad Pawar wants to save the Shiv Sena-led Maharashtra government, he praised the state home department during his media interaction in New Delhi.

Kute, a former state minister, made the statement while speaking to reporters here. "Sharad Pawar wants to save the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government at this moment, which is why he defended the state home department while interacting with reporters yesterday in New Delhi," he said.

Pawar had said that the controversy surrounding Mumbai police officer Sachin Waze, who was arrested by the NIA, would have no effect on the image of the MVA government.

Waze is at the focus of a probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) into a case related to the recovery of the SUV with explosives near Mukesh Ambani's house in south Mumbai on February 25. Waze, who was attached to the Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU) of city police's crime branch till recently, was arrested by the NIA on March 13.

The three-party MVA government of Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress is helmed by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. Criticising the chief minister over his style of functioning, Kute said, "There are several serious issues in the state, like farmers' woes, crop loss, inflated electricity bills, among others. But Thackeray does not have time for it."

When asked about the state government demanding more supply of vaccines from the Centre, the BJP leader said, "Hardly 45 per cent of the vaccine doses from the stock supplied before January 16 have been utilised so far. The state is simply trying to divert attention from current controversies which it fails to control."