The BJP has said that Bhaskar Jadhav’s appointment as state NCP president indicates that Sharad Pawar does not have any problem with Hindutva. Mumbai BJP president Ashish Shelar also pointed out that Mr Jadhav’s political career began in the Shiv Sena.
State BJP president Devendra Fadnavis further took a dig at NCP’s decision saying that Mr Jadhav had once given the party chief Sharad Pawar sleepless nights.
“When Mr Jadhav (then a state minister) had spent lavishly for the wedding of his son and daughter, Mr Pawar had said he could not sleep. Now, after appointing Mr Jadhav, we wish he has a good sleep,” Mr Fadnavis said.
Echoing Mr Fadnavis, Mr Shelar said, “The appointment of Mr Jadhav is a cruel joke being played on the people suffering from the drought situation in the state. By promoting Mr Jadhav, the Union agriculture minister has rubbed salt into the wounds of people.”
Mr Shelar further pointed out that this was the first time that the NCP president is going to be a person who has come in from another party. “Mr Jadhav has grown in the party with a strong Hidutva ideology. By appointing him as the party’s Maharashtra president, Mr Pawar has proven that he is not against the ideology of Hindutva,” the BJP leader said.
Mr Jadhav, who was dropped from the ministry, was on Saturday made president of state unit, while MLA Jitendra Awhad was made working president.
BJP ally Shiv Sena said that both Mr Jadhav and Mr Awhad had influence over limited areas. “It is difficult to say that their appointments will have much impact. A party does not run on two persons,” Sena spokesperson Neelam Gorhe said.