Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray on Tuesday said that with “the IPL fraud”, Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar’s political career has taken a major hit. Mr Thackeray claimed that the Congress is using the IPL to marginalise Mr Pawar’s influence in the national politics as well as in Maharashtra and there will be new allegations hurled at Mr Pawar every day on the behest of the Congress.
In his editorial written in Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamna, Mr Thackeray said, “I had told Mr Pawar a number of times not to venture into cricket, but to concentrate on agriculture. Today this cricket and the IPL have become reasons for Mr Pawar’s political downfall. His adversaries in the Congress have got readymade weapon to use against him.”
Mr Thackeray further said that Mr Pawar’s name has been dragged into many other frauds in the past, but every time the NCP chief managed to come out of the controversies, and resurrected himself. “But he is now tired of giving explanations about the IPL controversy,” Mr Thackeray said.
Moreover, the Shiv Sena chief said that the Congress has cornered Mr Pawar on the issue of the IPL and the party president Sonia Gandhi is the one pulling all the strings. “Mr Pawar’s politics has always revolved around money. He earned power from money and more money from power,” he said.
The money, which has bailed him out of many difficult situations, has now put him in a tight spot. Even if he applies oil on his body, he cannot escape (from the IPL bid row),” Mr Thackeray said.