BJP using Central agencies to topple Maharashtra Govt: Raut

Mumbai, December 28

Launching a veiled attack on the Centre after the ED summoned his wife, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Monday alleged Central agencies were being used to “destabilise” the Uddhav Thackeray-led government in Maharashtra and claimed BJP leaders had been in touch with him for over a year to effect this plan.

Speaking to reporters, he alleged that Central agencies were being used as “weapons” against family members of (BJP’s) political opponents who cannot be won over.

Raut said BJP leaders had a list of 22 MLAs of the Congress and the NCP with them “who will be made to resign under the pressure of the Central investigating agencies”.

Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Congress are constituents of the Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, which was formed in November 2019 after the Sena and the BJP fell out over sharing the post of chief minister following the Assembly elections.

“Some BJP leaders have been contacting me for the last one year, saying they have made all the arrangements to destabilise the Maharashtra Government. They have been pressuring and threatening me not to support the government.”

“They told me that they have a list of 22 MLAs of Congress and NCP who will be forced to resign under the pressure of Central investigating agencies,” Raut said. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) summoned Varsha Raut for questioning in the PMC Bank money laundering case on December 29, officials had said on Sunday. The officials had said that Varsha Raut has been asked to appear before the federal agency in Mumbai. This is the third summons issued to her after she skipped the earlier two on health grounds, they said. “I will hold discussions with NCP president Sharad Pawar too,” Raut said when asked if his wife will appear before the ED in response to the summons issued against her. — PTI