Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Times of India
The Times of India
National
Prafulla Marpakwar | TNN

Maharashtra: Shiv Sena minister earlier forced to quit by BJP, 2 other 'tainted' MLAs get in

MUMBAI: The inclusion of three politicians embroiled in controversies-Shiv Sena's Sanjay Rathod and Abdul Sattar and BJP's Vijaykumar Gavit -in the cabinet sparked a row, with not only Congress but BJP functionaries also protesting the induction of Rathod in particular. Rathod, MLA from Digras in Yavatmal who had served as forest minister in the MVA government, had to resign last year after he was linked to a woman's death in Pune. However, Rathod on Tuesday found support from NCP's Supriya Sule who said he was "innocent" and had been earlier targeted by BJP.

Sena MLA Sattar found himself at the centre of a row on Monday when it was alleged two of his daughters were beneficiaries of the Teachers' Eligibility Test 2019-20, where marks of candidates were inflated. Sattar was earlier in Congress and joined Sena before the 2019 assembly elections.

'Fight against tainted min will go on'

State BJP vice-president Chitra Wagh on Tuesday lodged a protest over Shiv Sena politician Sanjay Rathod's inclusion in the cabinet. "It is extremely unfortunate that Sanjay Rathod, who was responsible for the death of Pooja Chavan, has been inducted in the state cabinet. My fight against him will continue, I have full faith in the judiciary...we will fight and win," Wagh tweeted. Wagh's tweet was being viewed as a setback for BJP, particularly for deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, who was instrumental in her defection from NCP to BJP.

Besides Rathod, the inclusion of Abdul Sattar and BJP's Vijaykumar Gavit in the cabinet also sparked a row. Gavit was five years ago found guilty by a probe commission of siphoning off Rs 6,000 crore of tribal welfare funds as tribal development minister between 2004 to 2012 in the then Congres-NCP government. Gavit joined BJP in 2014.

It was BJP which had led the campaign to seek Rathod's resignation from the MVA cabinet, and it had strongly protested in the state legislature as well. CM Eknath Shinde on Tuesday justified his induction saying Rathod had got a clean chit.

Pune-based TikTok star Pooja Chavan, who was allegedly in a relationship with Rathod, committed suicide on February 7 last year. In the wake of a statewide protest following her death, Rathod was forced to quit the MVA cabinet on February 28, 2021. Wagh had launched a statewide stir demanding justice for Pooja Chavan.

The then CM Uddhav Thackeray was reluctant to sack Rathod from the cabinet, but after Devendra Fadnavis, who was leader of opposition, kept up the pressure, Rathod was removed from the cabinet. Several attempts were later made to re-induct him, but the opposition did not allow Thackeray to take him back. BJP cited audio tapes that purportedly spoke of Rathod's involvement.

Fadnavis had even written a letter to the DGP, saying the then-ongoing probe into the death of Pooja Chavan appeared "superficial" and demanding a high-level inquiry into her death under mysterious circumstances.

CM Shinde said the Pune police had probed the woman's death. "I think no case is pending against him. Since Pune police had given him a clean chit, he was inducted in the cabinet," he said. Rathod was among the 40-odd Sena legislators to joined the Shinde faction in June.

Congress legislature party leader Balasaheb Thorat expressed shock over the induction of Rathod. "It reflects the attitude of the Shinde government. A person has been accused of harassing a woman who later committed suicide, and he is a cabinet member now," Thorat said.

Supriya Sule however said, "Rathod was innocent, he never committed any crime, and he has been given a clean chit. It was the BJP which launched a statewide agitation against him and forced the (then) CM to sack him. After he quit the cabinet, no one spoke as to what happened to the woman. No one is taking note of the sufferings of the family."

Sillod MLA Sattar too was not expected to be inducted in view of the controversy over his daughters being beneficiaries of the TET scam. Sattar said he had nothing wrong. "It is all fabricated and a conspiracy to ensure I was not included in the cabinet. All reports were false and were leaked to media a day before cabinet expansion. I have explained the case to the CM and asked for a probe," he said.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.