Bawankule reminded Pawar of the mutual decision taken in the Mahayuti coordination committee ahead of the civic polls that even if alliance partners contest elections separately, they would not criticise each other during campaigning
Chandrashekhar Bawankule. File Pic
Hitting back at Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar for his criticism of the BJP, party leader and state minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Tuesday said Pawar should refrain from attacking the saffron party and not force it to open “pages from the past”, reported news agency PTI.
Mahayuti coordination committee decision recalled
Addressing a press conference in Pune, Bawankule reminded Pawar of the mutual decision taken in the Mahayuti coordination committee ahead of the civic polls that even if alliance partners contest elections separately, they would not criticise each other during campaigning.
‘Fadnavis is following the rule,’ says Bawankule
"I expected that Pawar would abide by that mutual understanding. On the other hand, if you see, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is following that rule as he is not criticising Pawar's party (NCP) or Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena," he said, reported PTI.
‘No one wants to go back to the past’
"I just want to say that there are pages from the past and no one wants to go back to them. Ajit dada is one of the three key leaders in Mahayuti and I hope he will not criticise the BJP or other alliance partners," Bawankule stated, reported PTI.
BJP leader advises Pawar against targeting local leadership
Asked about Pawar targeting the BJP’s leadership in Pune over development issues, Bawankule said the NCP president is a politician of high stature and should not stoop to criticise lower-level leadership of a party.
Irrigation scam case still pending, says Bawankule
On Pawar’s remarks that he is sitting in the Mahayuti with those who once levelled allegations against him in the Rs 70,000-crore irrigation scam, Bawankule noted that the case is still pending before the court.
"Once the verdict comes, the truth will come out," he insisted, reported PTI.
BJP defends past allegations as opposition party
The minister said that when the BJP was in the Opposition, it had raised allegations based on the evidence available at the time.
Mundhwa land deal not a poll issue, says minister
Asked whether the BJP would make the Mundhwa land deal in Pune an election issue, Bawankule said the government-appointed inquiry committee is in the final stages of preparing its report and it would not be appropriate to turn the matter into an election issue.
(With inputs from PTI)
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