Uddhav, Fadnavis trade charges as race hots up
MUMBAI: The tussle between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiv Sena over the Palghar Lok Sabha bypoll has turned into a full-blown battle between the parties, with Uddhav Thackeray and chief minister Devendra Fadnavis trading charges.
A day after the Sena chief released an audio clip, in which Fadnavis is heard exhorting BJP workers to “use all means” to win the bypoll, the CM released a longer version of the same clip on Saturday and alleged the Sena had edited parts of it.
Fadnavis, while admitting that it was his voice in the audio clip released by Sena, said they had “twisted” and played out a “selectively edited” audio clip.
The Sena released the clip at a public rally in Palghar on Friday and demanded that the Election Commission (EC) act against the chief minister.
Speaking to BJP workers in Vasai, Fadnavis released the entire 14-minute clip. “The Sena can see it is going to be defeated and thus, it has stooped to such levels,” said the chief minister.
“The Sena twisted my audio clip and presented it before the people to misguide them. The entire clip is 14 minutes long. I will myself submit this audio clip to the EC. My last sentence in the clip, which was, that we are in power, but we will never misuse it, was conveniently left out… Had they played it, their claims would have fallen flat. Listen to the whole clip and if there is anything wrong, I am ready to face action,” Fadnavis said.
The CM also hit out at Uddhav, who had dared the BJP leadership to battle it out without involving the law-and-order machinery. “I had to take security only after I became the CM. It is for the CM, not for Devendra Fadnavis. I used to roam around without guards. You call me to provide security and guards for your leaders. If you dislike it, then why do you ask for security cover?” Fadnavis said.