Chandrakant Patil says BJP has ‘nothing to do’ with Shinde’s mutiny

Amid the shocking political developments that have put the Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition in a predicament, the Bharatiya Janata Party asserted on Tuesday that the party has nothing to do with the rebellion of Shiv Sena veteran Eknath Shinde.

The BJP’s clarification came after Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut, and Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s close aide, accused the BJP of launching ‘Operation Kamala’ like they did in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

“The BJP has nothing to do with the ongoing developments. Shinde's decision is not part of any plan of the BJP,” said party state president Chandrakant Patil, even as Leader of Opposition in Assembly and ex-Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis held meetings in New Delhi.

Patil also clarified that Shinde being in Surat and Fadnavis being in New Delhi was a mere coincidence. “We have a party culture…after the results, leaders meet top brass and accordingly Fadnavis is in New Delhi,” said Patil.

“What we are more concerned about is people’s welfare than (forming) the government,” said Pravin Darekar, Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Vidhan Parishad, and a newly elected Member of Legislative Council.

However, the BJP state president also stated that if his party received any proposal from Shinde to form a government, the party would definitely consider it. He also admitted that BJP MLA from Maharashtra, Sanjay Kute, had met Shinde in Surat