BJP sowing seeds of secession as defeat staring in face: Pawar

Hitting out at the BJP-led government over the JNU row, NCP chief Sharad Pawar today said the party was sowing seeds of secession as it saw defeat staring in its face in the ensuing elections.

"BJP sees defeat staring in its face and that is why seeds of secession and Hindutva are being sown by the party before facing elections," Pawar said.

The former Union minister was addressing a meeting of state NCP functionaries here.

Terming the JNU issue as a political conspiracy, Pawar said, "It is being propagated that only they (BJP) are nationalists and others are anti-nationals."

"Nobody supports anti-India posters. Police should probe the complex matter.

 There are hardly two per cent Maoist sympathisers there. The panel which defeated ABVP (in JNU) is branded anti-national and jailed," he said.

The senior NCP leader claimed that BJP will face defeat in ensuing elections in various states.

Also coming down heavily on the Devendra Fadnavis-led BJP-Shiv Sena government in Maharashtra, Pawar said the new regime has done little to combat acute water scarcity in many parts of the state.

"Let this government take even a single decision which my government took and then ask what did we do. Power comes and goes but it should not go into the head," he said in a barb aimed at the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena alliance.

Senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal, against whom the Maharashtra Anti-Corruption Bureau has filed a charge sheet in the Maharashtra Sadan scam said, "I have been cornered from all sides but I am still standing."

"All decisions were transparent and taken by the entire cabinet collectively. I trust nyaydevta (justice). I have not indulged in any corruption," Bhujbal said.

NCP state unit president Sunil Tatkare said attempts are on to suppress the party.

He asked party workers to get ready for confrontation with the government.