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Tag: Jayant Patil

  • Senior NCP leader Jayant Patil denies having ‘secret’ meeting with Amit Shah in Pune

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Senior NCP leader Jayant Patil, a Sharad Pawar loyalist, on Sunday dismissed reports that he met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Pune “secretly” and also scotched speculation that he was set to join the Ajit Pawar-led group in the Shiv Sena-BJP government.

    Patil said he was with Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday evening and later met senior colleagues Anil Deshmukh, Rajesh Tope and Sunil Bhusara at his home.

    “They were at my house till 1.30 am. I met Sharad Pawar again this morning. Those who spread these rumours should answer at what time I met Shah in Pune and show proof. I am always with Sharad Pawar. Such speculations should stop,” Patil, who heads the Maharashtra NCP unit, told reporters.

    Amit Shah on Sunday launched the digital portal of the Central Registrar of Cooperative Societies (CRCS) office in Pune.

    Patil said there was no pressure on him to switch sides and he hasn’t held talks with anyone.

    “I attended the MVA meeting (on Saturday) for organizing the INDIA conclave in Mumbai. I am part of the organizing committee, so it is evident why such speculations are coming,” the senior NCP leader added.

    Patil also said that his only aim is to expand the NCP’s base.

    ALSO READ | Maha dilemma on LoP post to Congress; NCP still largest Opposition bloc claims Speaker

    Notably, Ajit Pawar and eight MLAs of NCP joined the Eknath Shinde-led state government last month.

    Ajit took oath as Deputy Chief Minister and the eight MLAs as ministers.

    Since then, political circles in Maharashtra are rife with speculations about growing restlessness among MLAs who are in the Sharad Pawar camp.

    Meanwhile, NCP MLA Jitendra Awhad also said that reports of Jayant Patil meeting Shah are wrong.

    “I will be with Sharad Pawar till my last breath,” he told reporters.

    MUMBAI: Senior NCP leader Jayant Patil, a Sharad Pawar loyalist, on Sunday dismissed reports that he met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Pune “secretly” and also scotched speculation that he was set to join the Ajit Pawar-led group in the Shiv Sena-BJP government.

    Patil said he was with Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday evening and later met senior colleagues Anil Deshmukh, Rajesh Tope and Sunil Bhusara at his home.

    “They were at my house till 1.30 am. I met Sharad Pawar again this morning. Those who spread these rumours should answer at what time I met Shah in Pune and show proof. I am always with Sharad Pawar. Such speculations should stop,” Patil, who heads the Maharashtra NCP unit, told reporters.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Amit Shah on Sunday launched the digital portal of the Central Registrar of Cooperative Societies (CRCS) office in Pune.

    Patil said there was no pressure on him to switch sides and he hasn’t held talks with anyone.

    “I attended the MVA meeting (on Saturday) for organizing the INDIA conclave in Mumbai. I am part of the organizing committee, so it is evident why such speculations are coming,” the senior NCP leader added.

    Patil also said that his only aim is to expand the NCP’s base.

    ALSO READ | Maha dilemma on LoP post to Congress; NCP still largest Opposition bloc claims Speaker

    Notably, Ajit Pawar and eight MLAs of NCP joined the Eknath Shinde-led state government last month.

    Ajit took oath as Deputy Chief Minister and the eight MLAs as ministers.

    Since then, political circles in Maharashtra are rife with speculations about growing restlessness among MLAs who are in the Sharad Pawar camp.

    Meanwhile, NCP MLA Jitendra Awhad also said that reports of Jayant Patil meeting Shah are wrong.

    “I will be with Sharad Pawar till my last breath,” he told reporters.

  • NCP asks Twitter CEO Elon Musk to help resolve Maharashtra-Karnataka border dispute

    Express News Service

    MUMBAI: In what could be seen as an amusing turn of events, NCP state president Jayant Patil on Monday requested Twitter CEO Elon Musk to help resolve the ongoing border dispute between Maharashtra and Karnataka by clarifying whether Karnataka Chief Minister Basvaraj Bommai had tweeted controversial tweets about the border issue from his Twitter account or not.

    Elon Musk on Monday launched a poll on the micro-blogging website asking whether he should stay or down as Twitter’s CEO and added that he would abide by the poll’s results.

    Patil tagged Musk’s tweet and asked the latter to resolve the issue over if Bommai had allegedly tweeted anything that could escalate further tensions at the border.  “But before you step down as Twitter head, you must give the result of who really tweeted from Karnataka CM Basvaraj Bommai’s social media account,” Patil asked Elon Musk.

    The opposition alleged that Bommai had posted a series of tweets over the Maharashtra and Karnataka border leading to a tumultuous situation at the border. Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde had also complained to Union Home Minister Amit Shah against Karnataka CM, but Shah denied the accusations.

    Bommai in a recent meeting with Amit Shah and Eknath Shinde denied that he had not tweeted anything that can flare up the border dispute. Bommai claimed someone had hacked his social media account and published the tweets in question. Following the meeting, the Home Minister said the authenticity of the tweets will be verified and action will be taken against those involved.

    Meanwhile, the Maharashtra state assembly witnessed an uproar over the border dispute. Opposition parties alleged that Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde had failed to protect the interest of the Maharashtra people.

    Maharashtra’s Leader of Opposition Ajit Pawar said that elected representatives like MLAs and MPs have been barred from entering Karnataka. Pawar said the Karnataka CM issued an order to arrest the Maharashtra leaders who entered Karnataka, despite the latter agreeing to cooperate over the border tussle following a recent meeting with Amit Shah.

    MUMBAI: In what could be seen as an amusing turn of events, NCP state president Jayant Patil on Monday requested Twitter CEO Elon Musk to help resolve the ongoing border dispute between Maharashtra and Karnataka by clarifying whether Karnataka Chief Minister Basvaraj Bommai had tweeted controversial tweets about the border issue from his Twitter account or not.

    Elon Musk on Monday launched a poll on the micro-blogging website asking whether he should stay or down as Twitter’s CEO and added that he would abide by the poll’s results.

    Patil tagged Musk’s tweet and asked the latter to resolve the issue over if Bommai had allegedly tweeted anything that could escalate further tensions at the border.  “But before you step down as Twitter head, you must give the result of who really tweeted from Karnataka CM Basvaraj Bommai’s social media account,” Patil asked Elon Musk.

    The opposition alleged that Bommai had posted a series of tweets over the Maharashtra and Karnataka border leading to a tumultuous situation at the border. Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde had also complained to Union Home Minister Amit Shah against Karnataka CM, but Shah denied the accusations.

    Bommai in a recent meeting with Amit Shah and Eknath Shinde denied that he had not tweeted anything that can flare up the border dispute. Bommai claimed someone had hacked his social media account and published the tweets in question. Following the meeting, the Home Minister said the authenticity of the tweets will be verified and action will be taken against those involved.

    Meanwhile, the Maharashtra state assembly witnessed an uproar over the border dispute. Opposition parties alleged that Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde had failed to protect the interest of the Maharashtra people.

    Maharashtra’s Leader of Opposition Ajit Pawar said that elected representatives like MLAs and MPs have been barred from entering Karnataka. Pawar said the Karnataka CM issued an order to arrest the Maharashtra leaders who entered Karnataka, despite the latter agreeing to cooperate over the border tussle following a recent meeting with Amit Shah.

  • NCB being used to ‘defame, harass’ people: Maha minister Jayant Patil

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Maharashtra minister and NCP state chief Jayant Patil on Thursday claimed that the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) was being used to “harass and defame” citizens.

    Speaking to reporters in Ratnagiri, he also said that party leader and state minister Nawab Malik, who has levelled various allegations against NCB’s Mumbai zonal director Sameer Wankhede, was “bringing out the truth”.

    Wankhede is in the eye of a political storm following allegations of extortion in the high-profile cruise drugs case in which actor Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan was arrested earlier this month.

    The officer is facing the departmental vigilance probe.

    “The NCB is being used for defaming, harassing and putting people behind bars for a longer period. This has happened with Aryan Khan and many others. It has to be probed thoroughly,” Patil said.

    He said state minister Nawab Malik has made certain claims (against NCB officials) which can be substantiated with documents.

    “Sameer Wankhede is facing an inquiry before senior NCB officials, who have come to Mumbai for an investigation.

    The certificates provided by him, how he joined the IRS and got quota benefits—all will come out in the coming days.

    I hope the committee (NCB vigilance probe team) has not come here to cover up his mess,” the state water resources minister said.

    To a question on Malik’s allegations against Wankhede, Patil said the minority affairs minister was “bringing out the truth”.

    “The central agencies are making mistakes and diverting attention as well. These agencies are being used to harass common citizens,” he claimed.

    Malik has repeatedly termed the cruise drugs case as “fake” and levelled various allegations against Wankhede, including illegal phone tapping and using forged documents to secure job.

    Wankhede has refuted the allegations and denied any wrongdoing.

  • Congress’ stand of fighting polls solo will not last: Maharashtra NCP chief

    By PTI
    OSMANABAD: Congress’s stance that it will contest future elections in Maharashtra on its own will be short-lived and the ruling alliance will remain intact, state NCP chief Jayant Patil said here on Thursday.

    State Congress chief Nana Patole had recently caused a flutter in the ruling Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress combine by declaring that his party will contest elections on its own in future.

    Asked about Patole’s statement, Patil said, “That stand will not last long. Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena are sensible parties. They will stay united. But If Congress insists (that it will go it alone), then NCP and Shiv Sena will fight elections jointly,” he said.

    Patil was talking to reporters after visiting Tulajabhavani temple at Tuljapur.

    He also met NCP leaders from Tuljapur and Omerga constituencies.

    Patil, who handles the water resources ministry, also held a review meeting at the collector’s office here.

    Osmanabad and Beed districts will get water from the Krishna-Marathwada irrigation project by June 2023, he said.

    Permission for the second phase of the project was given in February 2021 with allocation of Rs 1,000 crore, the minister said.

  • ‘No instability in Uddhav government’: Jayant Patil downplays ‘tensions’ within MVA

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: Maharashtra NCP chief Jayant Patil on Thursday said there was no “instability” in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition government in the state.

    NCP president Sharad Pawar met Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday evening, giving rise to speculation about tensions within the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress alliance.

    “I don’t know what transpired in the meeting. But there is no question of instability in the government. New issues do crop up. what is the connection between them and the government’s stability,” Patil said, speaking to reporters.

    On the Maratha quota issue, he said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should “take a decision in Parliament”.

    “State BJP leaders must pursue the matter with their central leadership,” he said when asked about the future of the quota which has been struck down by the Supreme Court.

    On lifting the current lockdown-like restrictions in the state on account of coronavirus pandemic, Patil said the issue of restrictions and COVID-19 numbers is discussed in the cabinet meeting every week.

    “Any decision will be taken only after discussions,” he said when asked if the restrictions will be eased after June 1.

    Meanwhile, NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik told reporters that Sharad Pawar has resumed his political activities after taking rest following a surgery.

    “He met chief minister Thackeray on Wednesday. He held discussions with (BJP Rajya Sabha MP) Sambhajiraje and NCP leaders this morning,” Malik said.

    Pawar has called a meeting of all NCP legislators on June 1, he said.

    “He will hold a separate meeting with NCP ministers and take a review of their performance,” Malik said.

    The NCP supremo had said before the West Bengal elections that opposition unity was desirable, and he will “start working in that direction against the backdrop of the Central government’s poor handling of the COVID pandemic and failure to deal with vaccine shortage,” he said.

    Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Congress on Thursday accused the BJP of betraying the Maratha community, and claimed that the BJP-RSS connection of an organisation that opposed the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) quota has come out in the open now.

    The BJP, however, said it supports the quota for the community and would continue to do so in future.

    It alleged that the Congress was spreading rumours on the issue.

    Addressing a press conference, state Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant claimed that the BJP-RSS connection of the office-bearers of ‘Save Merit Save Nation’ organisation, which opposed the Maratha quota in the Supreme Court, is now out in the open.

    “Isn’t this betrayal of the Maratha community when the BJP helps the organisations that opposes the quota. This can’t be a mere coincidence. Did the BJP prevent the party office- bearers from being associated with this organisation? We seek a clarification from the BJP,” Sawant said.

    He lashed out at the BJP on its plan to hold a protest on June 5 over the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government’s handling of the Maratha quota.

    “If the COVID-19 numbers go up, superspreader BJP will be responsible for it. The MVA did not make any changes in the legal team or the draft of the act passed by the legislature during the BJP rule. How is the MVA responsible?” he asked.

    Sawant accused the BJP of indulging in political opportunism.

    Meanwhile, reacting to Sawant’s allegations, BJP spokesman Keshav Upadhye said the Congress was spreading rumours since it was scared of the agitation.

    “In fact,some Congress and NCP leaders supported the anti-quota petitions in the court. The BJP was in support of reservation and will continue to remain so,” he said.

    Earlier this month, the Supreme Court had struck down the Maharashtra law granting quota to Marathas in admissions and government jobs, terming it as “unconstitutional”, and held that there were no exceptional circumstances to breach the 50 per cent reservation cap set by the 1992 Mandal verdict.

    The Maharashtra State Reservation (of seats for admission in educational institutions in the State and for appointments in the public services and posts under the State) for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) Act 2018 was enacted to grant reservation to people of the Maratha community in the state in jobs and admissions.

  • Fuel rates controlled before polls, but raised later, says Maharashtra Minister Jayant Patil

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Maharashtra Water Resources Minister Jayant Patil on Wednesday hit out at the Centre over fuel price hike, claiming the rates of petrol and diesel are controlled ahead of elections, but increased after polls get over.

    Patil, who is also the state NCP chief, asked Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to throw light on what planning is this.

    Petrol and diesel prices were hiked by 25 paise per litre each on Wednesday, the third increase this week, propelling the petrol price to cross the Rs 100 per litre-mark in various cities, including Bhopal and Indore.

    The petrol and diesel prices are now at record high across the country, as per the price notification of state- owned fuel retailers.

    “The Union finance ministry is making financial plans of a different class. The rates of petrol and diesel are controlled when polls are around and price rise is certain once the polls are over. @nsitharaman should throw light on what planning it is,” Patil tweeted, using the hashtag ‘PetrolDieselPriceHike’.

    He did not mention any specific polls in his tweet.

    Notably, fuel prices were cut in March and April this year.

    During the last two months, Assembly elections were held in West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry.

    On Wednesday, the petrol price in Mumbai was hiked to Rs 98.36 a litre from Rs 98.12, while the diesel rate was increased to Rs 89.75 from Rs 89.48, the price notification showed.

    According to a statement issued by Patil, the petrol price is the highest in Marathwada’s Parbhani district at Rs 100.75 per litre, while diesel is being sold there at Rs 90.68 per litre.

  • Deshmukh row: NCP says Maharashtra Home Minister won’t resign; Kamal Nath meets Sharad Pawar

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The NCP on Sunday ruled out resignation of Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh even as the demand for his removal grew louder over former Mumbai police chief’s allegation that he wanted police officers to collect Rs 100 crore monthly from bars and hotels in the city.

    After a three-hour meeting at NCP president Sharad Pawar’s residence here, Jayant Patil, the party’s state chief and senior minister in the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, said there is no need to divert attention from the main incident of bomb scare outside Mukesh Ambani’s residence and the killing of Mansukh Hiran, a Thane-based businessman.

    The focus is on these two events and after that appropriate steps will be taken, he said, adding the state Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested two people in the connection with Hiran’s killing.

    “The question of Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh resigning does not arise,” Patil told reporters.

    During a media briefing earlier in the day, Pawar said Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will decide the fate of Deshmukh.

    The allegations levelled by former Mumbai police chief Param Bir Singh against Deshmukh are serious and require an in-depth probe, he said.

    Pawar’s comments came amid speculation in state political circles that Maharashtra may soon have a new home minister.

    Pawar held the meeting with senior leaders Supriya Sule and Praful Patel, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and Patil.

    ALSO READ | Ab tak 63: The colourful life of Mumbai cop Sachin Waze now arrested over Ambani bomb scare

    Senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday said NCP chief Sharad Pawar was trying to save the Maha Vikas Aghadi government.

    He contested Pawar’s assertion that neither Thackeray nor Deshmukh was responsible for reinstating controversial police officer Sachin Waze in the Mumbai police force last year.

    “Waze was given important cases and also got key posts in the police department. Is it possible without the knowledge of the chief minister and the home minister?” Fadnavis posed.

    Param Bir Singh has alleged that Deshmukh wanted police officers to collect Rs 100 crore monthly from bars and hotels in Mumbai.

    The NCP along with the Shiv Sena is part of the Mahavikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra, and the home department belongs to the Sharad Pawar led-NCP.

    Meanwhile, the demand for Deshmukh’s removal after Singh’s allegation grew louder with BJP leaders and workers staging protests in various cities demanding his resignation.

    Hitting back at the BJP, Patil said there were many charges against Devendra Fadnavis’ ministers but he did not ask anyone to resign.

    Before the meeting at Pawar’s residence here, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut had met him.

    Senior Congress leader Kamal Nath also met Pawar separately.

    ALSO READ | Won’t be fair to comment as NCP chief has spoken: Congress on graft charges against Deshmukh

    Singh, a senior IPS officer, who was transferred to the low-key Home Guards on March 17 following the arrest of police officer Sachin Waze in the case related to the bomb scare near Mukesh Ambani’s house Antilia, in a letter to the Maharashtra chief minister had claimed that he was made a scapegoat.

    In the eight-page letter to Chief Minister Thackeray, Singh alleged that Deshmukh used to call police officers to his official residence and give them a “collection target” from bars, restaurants and other establishments.

    The Maharashtra Chief Minister’s Office, in a release on Saturday, said Singh’s “unsigned letter to Thackeray” was not sent from his official email ID and efforts were on to contact him to verify it.

    Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Kamal Nath on Sunday met Pawar in New Delhi in view of ongoing developments in Maharashtra, sources said.

    The Congress high command deputed Nath to meet Pawar to defuse a “political crisis in Maharashtra,” said Rasheed Kidwai, a senior journalist and political analyst.

    The Congress and the NCP are part of the Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government.

  • Maharashtra minister Jayant Patil tests positive for coronavirus

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: Maharashtra water resources minister and state NCP chief Jayant Patil on Thursday said he has tested positive for coronavirus.

    In a post on Twitter, the minister also said he is doing fine and taking appropriate medical advice.

    Patil, who earlier this month visited parts of the state during the ‘Rashtravadi Parivar Samvad Yatra’ (an initiative to reach out to NCP leaders and workers), also asked those who came in contact with him recently to be observant and self-isolate.

    “I have tested COVID positive. Whilst I am doing fine, I am taking appropriate medical advice and hope to recover soon. I shall be undertaking my duties via video-conference,” he tweeted.

    Earlier this month, state ministers Anil Deshmukh, Satej Patil and Rajendra Shingne also tested positive for the coronavirus infection.

    Deshmukh was discharged from a hospital in Nagpur, where he was undergoing treatment, on February 15.

    Last year, over a dozen state ministers, including Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, were infected by the virus.

  • Facing rape charges, Dhananjay Munde to continue as minister in Uddhav Cabinet for now

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: In a relief for Maharashtra Minister Dhananjay Munde, who is facing rape allegation by a woman, his party NCP has decided to let him continue in the cabinet post for now, sources said on Friday.

    According to the sources, the decision was taken considering the complaints of harassment made against the woman by some leaders from the opposition BJP and the MNS.

    Top NCP leaders, including party president Sharad Pawar, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, Water Resources Minister Jayant Patil and senior leader Praful Patel, met here late Thursday night to discuss the issue.

    The meeting was held at Patel’s residence.

    Munde (45), the social justice minister in the Shiv Sena-led MVA government, has refuted the rape charges and dubbed them as blackmail attempt.

    BJP leader Krishna Hegde on Thursday claimed that the Mumbai-based woman had been harassing him for several years.

    An MNS politician, too, has made similar allegations against her.

    Munde had levelled blackmailing charges against the woman.

    Now other party politicians, too, have levelled such charges against the woman concerned.

    The allegation by BJP and MNS leaders somewhere seems to strengthen Mundes claims.

    A police probe is going on in a case relating to Munde.

    “We will need to wait for its conclusion. So, it was decided that Munde will continue in the post for now,” the sources said.

    On Thursday, NCP patriarch Sharad Pawar said that the allegation against Munde was serious and added the party will discuss the issue and decide on it “as soon as possible.

    Pawar told reporters that Munde met him on Wednesday and explained his side of the episode.

    State NCP president Jayant Patil said on Thursday that Munde would not resign just because someone has made allegations, but asserted the issue would be discussed inside the NCP and a decision would be taken based on facts.

    Patil had also said that any conclusion should be reached only based on police probe outcome into the matter.

    The NCP leader had also claimed that the state government was not interfering in the police probe.

    Munde, an NCP leader from Beed district, has denied the rape allegations, claiming he is being blackmailed by the woman and her sister.

    Munde, however, has acknowledged that he was in a relationship with the complainant woman’s sister and has two children with her.

    The BJP has demanded Munde’s resignation.