Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana chief stages protest against own party junior Sadabhau Khot, who, however, dismisses infighting rumour
Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana members throw pulses and onions outside the Vidhan Bhavan during a protest for their various demands on Tuesday. Pic/PTI
The Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana, BJP's small ruling partner, has been split wide open. Its chief, MP Raju Shetti, staged a protest along with his supporters at the Vidhan Bhavan gate against his own party junior Sadabhau Khot, who is minister for agriculture.
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Shetti and his men threw onions and pulses on the road that leads to Vidhan Bhavan. They raised slogans against the government, seeking better prices for agricultural produce. The police detained Shetti and others, took them away and released them later in the day after due legal procedure.
Cracks within?
It looked like a protest that was executed using guerrilla tactics, those in the Sanghatana said, adding that the primary target was Khot, who has developed differences with Shetti. What had prompted Khot to disregard Shetti was the latter's opposition to the candidature of Khot's son to the ZP polls. Shetti had said that nepotism should not be encouraged by the leaders, and that common people should be given party tickets.
Khot had taken offence to that and drifted away from the leadership. He was infuriated when his son lost the election last month.
Sources said the junior minister had become a pawn in the hands of the BJP leadership, which is trying to disintegrate farmers' unity in Western Maharashtra, where the Sanghatana is powerful.
Khot was made an MLC from BJP's quota and then inducted as a junior minister.
When asked, Khot played the agitation down. "The protest was not against me. Shetti has led many agitations, and this is just one among them. There is no communication gap between us," he said.
Shetti could not be contacted for his version.
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