"Invisible power" In Delhi Has Cut Down To Size Maharashtra BJP leaders: Supriya Sule

An "invisible power" in Delhi is trying to reduce the importance of Maharashtra and has "cut down to size" even prominent BJP leaders from the state like Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, NCP MP Supriya Sule claimed on Friday.

Several industrial projects were taken out of the state but the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government remained a mute spectator, she said.

Asked about the disqualification plea moved by the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party against four MPs of the rival NCP faction led by her father Sharad Pawar, Sule alleged that it was being done on the directions of the "invisible power" in Delhi.

"These two groups of the NCP and Shiv Sena (rebel groups led by Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde) are groups of 'Maratha manoos'. It is the invisible power of Delhi which is doing all these things to demean Maharashtra and that is why they engineered splits in these two parties," she said.

The Foxconn-Vedanta semiconductor project was taken out of the state, the diamond business in Mumbai was also taken away and nobody tried to stop it, she added.

The "triple-engine government" of the BJP, Shinde-led Sena and Ajit Pawar-led NCP did not protest, she said, adding that it was helpless in the face of "the invisible power and ICE" (Income Tax, Central Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement Directorate).

"Parties are being broken, families are being broken using ICE. There is an attempt to reduce the importance of Maharashtra and the leaders from Maharashtra. It is not limited to the NCP or Shiv Sena, but the top leadership of the BJP (in Maharashtra) is also being cut down to size. Look at the injustice meted out to Gadkari. Fadnavis, who was a successful chief minister for five years, was demoted to deputy chief minister," she further said.

How many of the BJP's 105 MLAs in the state got any positions of power or respect, the Baramati MP asked, adding, "They were left behind and others are enjoying power." While Eknath Shinde split the Shiv Sena and formed the government with the BJP in 2022, Ajit Pawar, Sule's cousin, split the NCP and joined the government in July this year.

Talking about the water scarcity in Pune, Sule said the civic administration and government should halt ongoing construction projects in the city to mitigate the problem.

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