Eknath Shinde, his deputies will get 'hit wicket': Congress' Nana Patole

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his two deputies Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar would get themselves out 'hit wicket' after 70 days, said state Congress President Nana Patole on Saturday.

Patole made the comment while referring to a remark by CM Shinde.

“Shinde had said ‘we too took a wicket two years ago’ (while referring to the toppling of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government)…the real match will begin after 70 days (when the Vidhan Sabha election takes place). What happened two years ago was a game of treachery and corruption. Now, the real match will take place in the people's court,” said Patole.

“The people will now catch the "khoke" (boxes) government,” said Patole.

On MP Ravindra Waikar, who has switched sides and gone to the Shinde faction from Shiv Sena (UBT), Patole said: “This is yet another instance of the BJP's 'washing machine’….therefore, there is nothing surprising that the Mumbai police have given him a clean chit and closed the file.”

Expressing anger over the incident in Pune, where an attempt was made to set a female traffic police officer on fire by pouring petrol on her, Patole questioned where the law and order in the state had gone. “Even the Maharashtra police are not safe,” he said.

“Fadnavis (who is the home minister) only makes announcements but takes no action. Accused individuals receive VIP treatment in jail, and at Sassoon Hospital, they get five-star arrangements under the pretext of treatment. It is unclear where the administration and police are."

"In Nagpur, there was an incident where a drunken driver ran over and killed two children on Ram Jhula, and the police were under pressure to weaken the case, resulting in the accused getting bail immediately. Wealthy accused have no fear, which is why they have the audacity to try to burn a female police officer,” said Patole.