The Aryavarth Express
Agency(Nanded, Maharashtra): Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray criticized the BJP during a press conference in Nanded, asserting that by welcoming former Congress leader Ashok Chavan into its ranks, the BJP has implicated itself in the controversial Adarsh Housing Society scam. Thackeray was in Maharashtra campaigning for the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) candidate Vasant Chavan for the Nanded Lok Sabha constituency.
Ashok Chavan, who previously served as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, is embroiled in allegations related to the Adarsh Housing Society—a 31-storey luxury building in Mumbai built on land owned by the Defence Ministry without the required permissions. The legal proceedings regarding Chavan’s involvement are ongoing, with the Supreme Court staying the case in 2018.
Chavan’s shift to the BJP in February and his subsequent uncontested election to the Rajya Sabha were marked by his dismissal of the Adarsh case as a “political mishap,” now considered a “non-issue” by him. This move has sparked controversy, particularly among those who once saw him as a protagonist in the scam.
Thackeray emphasized that the BJP, which previously accused the Adarsh Society of defrauding martyrs’ families, now finds itself sharing the blame by associating with Chavan. He remarked, “Earlier BJP leaders used to say that families of martyrs were fooled in the Adarsh scam. Now it is my allegation that BJP is also involved in fooling the martyrs’ families.”
Additionally, Thackeray commented on internal dynamics within the Congress following Chavan’s departure, suggesting that it has allowed new leadership to emerge. He also critiqued the current state government’s approach to security, pointing out disparities in the protection offered to political figures compared to the general public, with a pointed reference to recent security measures for Parth Pawar, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s son.