Bhujbal denies media reports claiming NCP leaders joined Mahayuti to escape ED

Mumbai : Amid the ongoing Assembly election campaign, NCP leader and senior minister Chhagan Bhujbal on Friday cut a sorry figure after reports in the media claimed that Ajit Pawar and his party functionaries deserted Sharad Pawar and joined the BJP-led Mahayuti in July 2023 to get rid of probes by central agencies including the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

A section of the media quoted Bhujbal’s revelation referring to his interview in a book written by leading journalist Rajdeep Sardesai.

However, after the media report triggered a major storm in Maharashtra politics, Bhujbal rejected all the claims made in the book.

He also said that he did not give any interview to a Marathi daily ‘Loksatta’ which has boldly carried the news report in this regard on Friday, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah are campaigning in Maharashtra.

“I am denying the allegation that I am afraid of going to jail. I and other party legislators came together for development. There are 54 people with us. Not all of them had ED cases against them. In my Yevala constituency, development works worth Rs 2,000 crore are under various stages of implementation. We have participated in the government, it has benefited to increase the pace of development,” said Bhujbal.

“Now I will read this book and also let our lawyer read the book and after eight days I will decide the future course of action,” said Bhujbal while expressing doubts about the intention of publication of the said book in the backdrop of the Assembly elections.

“I did not give any such interview to 'Loksatta'. We have been accused for many days that we all went with the BJP to get rid of the ED. The court has given me a clean chit in the Maharashtra Sadan case. This clean chit was given when Uddhav Thackeray was Chief Minister and at that time I also gave sweets to Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray,” said Bhujbal.

However, as per media reports, Bhujbal purportedly said, “Everyone heaved a sigh of relief after joining the BJP-led Mahayuti. For me, getting rid of ED was like a rebirth. Since I am an OBC, central agencies targeted me. If I was from an upper caste, I would not have been treated like this.”ncidentally, he was at the forefront opposing the pro-Maratha activist Manoj Jarange-Patil’s demand for providing reservation to the Maratha community from the OBC quota and is currently contesting from Yevala constituency in Nashik district.

“After serving two-and-a-half years in jail, I got another ED notice while on bail. At the age of 75 there was a question of how many times I would face interrogations. Another leader of NCP and former Home Minister Anil Deshmukh was arrested by the ED on the charges of alleged extortion of Rs 100 crore,” media reports quoted him as saying.

“When Anil Deshmukh was in jail he had received a message to join the BJP, after which he would be released. During that time, they (probe agencies) may have tried to trap me again. I still lose my sleep remembering those days in prison. Even at this age, ED is not ready to leave my trail,” Bhujbal has been quoted as saying.