"They Never Understood My Googly": Sharad Pawar On Nephew's 2019 Oath With BJP

Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday slammed the Eknath Shinde government, which completed one year in power on June 30, for its "incapability" to maintain law and order in Maharashtra.

Mr Shinde became chief minister on June 30 last year after a successful rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray split the Shiv Sena and brought down the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, of which Mr Pawar's NCP was a part along with the Congress.

Queried about the first anniversary of the Ekanth Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis government, Mr Pawar said, "There is a serious question of law and order in the state. Attacks on women, gangs with koytas (sharp edged weapon) are serious issues. The state government is incapable of maintaining law and order."

The opposition has been attacking the Shinde government over communal flare-ups in several places over posters of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb and 18th century Mysore rule Tipu Sultan, as well as crimes against women, including some in which the accused used 'koytas' (type of machete) to hack the victims to death.

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis holds the home portfolio in the Shinde government.

On his recent statement that the hurried swearing-in of Mr Fadnavis as chief minister in November 2019 post the Assembly polls was a "googly" bowled by him to expose the BJP's lust for power, Mr Pawar said the BJP failed to understand his delivery.

"They (BJP/Fadnavis) never understood my 'googly'. They lost their wicket. They will not know it because only the bowler knows the technique of 'googly'," said Mr Pawar.

Further mocking the BJP, Mr Pawar asked why the party went in for an oath-ceremony after two days (in November despite knowing the NCP had dropped plans to form a government with the BJP).

The government of Mr Fadnavis with NCP's Ajit Pawar as his deputy last for just 80 hours.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)