Mumbai: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar has reiterated that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was trying to destabilise the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra. However, he made it clear that there is no threat to the Uddhav Thackeray-led government, comprising Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress.

In an interview given to a channel, the veteran politician said that BJP’s claim of not being interested in bringing down the MVA government is a lie. “Devendra Fadnavis says we don’t want to disturb or destabilise this government in Maharashtra. But it is a lie. All efforts are on to destabilise the state government,” he said.

“The today’s leadership of BJP is not able to digest that they are without power in some states. When Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the PM, he never did this. But today’s leadership cannot digest that any state is not with their ideology. Hence the attempts are on to topple these governments,” said Mr Pawar.

The NCP chief assured that despite BJP’s efforts, the MVA government is stable and will complete its five years. “I want to tell one thing very clearly, there is no problem with the government. Ideologically, we are different but we have come together for the welfare of Maharashtra,” he said.

He mocked the BJP for the various deadlines being set for the fall of MVA government. “Ever since the government has been formed, I have been hearing about various deadlines. Initially they said the government would last till May. Then the revised deadline was July. Now it has become September. It is good that they are extending this deadline,” he said.

Mr Pawar also denied BJP’s claim that the NCP had approached them for government formation in Maharashtra.