Maha Guv again proved to be Shah's 'hitman', says Cong

Opposition parties on Saturday trained their guns at Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari accusing him of misusing his Constitutional office for political purpose.

“The Governor of Maharashtra acted as a hitman of Amit Shah and not as the protector of the Constitution,” Randeep Singh Surjewala, chief spokesman of the Congress, told reporters here.

In a press conference in New Delhi, he said Ajit Pawar, the NCP leader who joined hands with the saffron party, was “scared” by the BJP of being put behind bars.

Surjewala said in the run-up to the elections, Fadnavis had promised to send Ajit Pawar to Arthur Road Jail in the Rs 72,000-crore irrigation scam case, but post-election the BJP made him the deputy chief minister.

“BJP has proved the slogan 'Modi hai to mumkin hai' (It is possible under Modi) to be true,” he said.

CPM General Secretary Sitaram Yechury slammed the BJP for misusing the offices of the President and the Governor to achieve their political purpose.

“It is unfortunate that both the Constitutional authorities—President’s office and the Governor’s office—have been misused to achieve their political purpose,” he said.

In Chennai, DMK chief M K Stalin termed the political developments in Maharashtra as “disgusting and despicable” and said misuse of the offices of President and Governor had sounded the “death knell” for democracy.

“Our country's revered constitutional principles have been thrown to the bin by these actions. Those who have attained power by misusing the offices of the President and Governor and by indirect threats of agencies have effectively sounded a death knell for democracy,” Stalin said.