Sena dared probe agency ED and BJP to start the investigation from Panaji and Sakhal (Sanquelim) seats
Slamming Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrakant Patil for stating that he will ask the Enforcement Directorate to probe the alleged transfer of money to bribe voters in the upcoming Assembly bypoll in Kolhapur, the Shiv Sena today said the people will have to "rebel" if the BJP gives "Ghar Ghar ED" call.
In an editorial in the party mouthpiece 'Saamana', the Sena wondered if the ED should probe voters in the states from where BJP won elections recently.
The Sena dared probe agency Enforcement Directorate and the BJP to start the investigation from Panaji and Sakhal (Sanquelim) seats - the constituencies won by BJP MLA Atanasio Monserrate and Chief Minister Pramod Sawant.
"Chandrakant Patil has a nice plan to get voters probed by the ED. If 'Har Har Modi, Ghar Ghar Modi' slogan is coupled with 'Har Har ED, Ghar Ghar ED', then people will have to rebel," the Sena said.
The Kolhapur North assembly constituency bypoll is scheduled to be held on April 12. The seat fell vacant after the death of sitting Congress MLA Chandrakant Jadhav last December.
The BJP has fielded Satyajit Kadam, while the Congress has given the ticket to Jadhav's wife Jayashree.
On Sunday, Patil said he will write to the Enforcement Directorate to investigate the alleged transfer of money into the accounts of a large number of voters from Kolhapur north.
Notably, the Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday attached properties linked to Sena MP and Saamana's executive editor Sanjay Raut.
The probe agency had in the past arrested two ministers in the MVA government - Anil Deshmukh and Nawab Malik - on the charge of money laundering while the transactions of some MLAs of the Sena, which heads the MVA government, are also being probed by the Central agency.
Shiv Sena also said that dubbing voters "corrupt" is an insult to the people of Kolhapur, known for the progressive outlook of people who are rooted in tradition.
"The BJP should know the history of Kolhapur and its people before threatening them," Shiv Sena said, adding that the ED will have to open a separate office in Kolhapur if it were to probe voters.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)