Truck rams MPCC chief’s car, Congress alleges plot on his life

Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee chief Nana Patole had a narrow escape after a truck rammed his car in the State’s Bhandara district, late on Tuesday night, following which the Congress alleged that it was a deliberate attempt on Mr. Patole’s life.

The accident occurred near Kardha village when Mr. Patole was returning from a poll campaign. No one was injured.

In a video statement, the State Congress chief claimed that a truck had deliberately tried to hit his car.

Congress national spokesperson Atul Londhe targeted the ruling BJP over the accident and saidin a post on X, “Does the BJP want to win the election by eliminating the Opposition leaders? Congress State president Nana Patole was on a campaign tour of Bhandara district on Tuesday night when a truck hit his car and tried to crush it near Kardha village. This is a very serious incident and leads one to doubt whether this was a plot against his life.”

‘Baseless accusations’

Rubbishing the Congress spokesperson’s allegations, BJP leader Atul Bhatkalkar dismissed Mr. Londhe’s accusations as “baseless”, adding that the party gave no weight to the allegations and had no wish to dignify them.

“I strongly condemn these insinuations… Patole and Londhe ought to vent their frustrations felt against their ally, Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT) on someone else instead of making such absurd allegations,” Mr. Bhatkalkar said.

The spokesperson of the Eknath Shindeled Shiv Sena, Sanjay Shirsat, making light of Mr. Londhe’s accusations, said, “It appears that in this MVA coalition, if Nana Patole has any bitter enemy, it is Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut. The police should indeed probe this accident to find out who is behind it as the Congress are claiming.”

In a video statement, Nana Patole claimed that a truck had deliberately tried to hit his car.