BJP, Cong netas exchange barbs in Kedar’s review meet

Nagpur: Sparks flew thick and fast between BJP and Congress leaders on Tuesday with both sides accusing each other of impropriety during a meeting called by state animal husbandry minister Sunil Kedar to review Covid situation in Kamptee on Monday.
Addressing a press meet on Tuesday, BJP MLA Tekchand Savarkar accused Kedar and others from his party of allegedly insulting him after inviting to the meeting. Later, former zilla parishad president Suresh Bhoyar interacted with the media and flayed Savarkar for deliberately coming late for the meeting.
Savarkar claimed that Kedar frequently insulted him at official meetings, which of late have turned into Congress party get-togethers. “I wasn’t allowed to share the stage and even senior zilla parishad members were asked to sit in the audience, in complete breach of protocol,” he said.
He alleged that Congress workers tried to intimidate him when he sought permission to speak.
“Congress workers, who do not hold any official position, were occupying chairs on the dais. Kedar is not even guardian minister of Nagpur, yet he’s holding review meetings without the consent of energy minister Nitin Raut,” said Savarkar, adding, “Ignoring elected public representatives, Bhoyar and former zilla parishad member Avantika Lekurwale were provided a seat on the dias.”
“After consulting leader of opposition Devendra Fadnavis, I will soon be bringing a privilege motion against Kedar in the assembly for not following protocol during government meetings,” said Savarkar.
Countering him, Bhoyar claimed Savarkar didn’t even apologize after coming late for the meeting. Former ZP vice-president Manohar Kumbhare also criticized the MLA saying it was the decision of the administration about who sits where.
Lekurwale challenged the MLA to list the works he has carried out in the constituency in the last one-and-a-half years.
(Inputs from Eshika Bhargava)