BJP leader’s tweet on NCP leader ‘arrest’ raises heat

Mumbai: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Mohit Kamboj’s series of tweets on Tuesday night hinting at the incarceration of a “big NCP leader” along with Nawab Malik and Anil Deshmukh has created a flutter in the political circles. Incidentally, political leaders from all parties came together to attend the first day of the Monsoon Session of the state legislature. Taking to his Twitter handle, Kamboj had tweeted, “Save This Tweet :- One NCP Big - Big Leader Will Meet Nawab Malik & Anil Deshmukh Soon!” It was followed by another tweet: “Irrigation Scam Case Should Be Investigated Again Which Was Closed in 2019 By Param Bir Singh!”

After the initial tweets, Kamboj sent another tweet claiming that he will soon expose a big Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader in a press conference, by revealing details of assets in India and abroad, benami companies, and properties in his girlfriend’s name. He said he will also reveal details of corruption by the leader when he was a minister handling various portfolios. The tweets sent by Kamboj appear to point at NCP leader Ajit Pawar, presently the Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly. He had received a clean chit from the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in the irrigation scam in December 2019, when IPS officer Param Bir Singh was the agency’s director general. Pawar was cleared days after the Shiv Sena joined hands with the Congress and NCP to form the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in December 2019.

It has emerged that the Bombay High Court has neither accepted nor rejected the report on Pawar submitted by the ACB owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. Newly appointed Maharashtra BJP chief C h a n d r a s h e k h a r Bawankule said, “If he has information, I am sure he will share it with the investigating agencies. The agencies will carry out their probe, and if they find substance, they will take action accordingly.” BJP leader Ashish Shelar said, “Mohit Kamboj’s tweets must be based on some credible information that he has received. He always speaks on the basis of evidence and he has a 100% strike rate.” Calling out pattern of selective leaks, NCP’s Vidya Chavan said, “Kamboj’s tweets fit the pattern of selective leaks by BJP spokespersons on the directives of the party high command.”