Pawar's 'Saamana' interview meant to divert attention: Rane

Speaking to reporters here, Rane also showed some old editions of 'Saamana' carrying news pieces of Shiv Sena leaders, including current Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, bitterly criticizing Pawar, and questioned the bonhomie among the three MVA allies. Rane said that had Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray been alive, he would not have joined forces with the Congress and NCP.

BJP leader Narayan Rane on Thursday picked holes in NCP chief Sharad Pawar's interview carried by Shiv Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana', saying it aimed at diverting people's attention from the MVA government's "dismal" performance. Speaking to reporters here, Rane also showed some old editions of 'Saamana' carrying news pieces of Shiv Sena leaders, including current Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, bitterly criticizing Pawar, and questioned the bonhomie among the three MVA allies.

Rane said that had Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray been alive, he would not have joined forces with the Congress and NCP. "The series of interviews was only to divert the attention of the people from the serious situation in the state...This interview was to only criticize (BJP leader Devendra) Fadnavis and BJP," Rane said.

Expressing concern over the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths in the state, Rane said Pawar did not speak about it. Rane also said that the BJP-ruled states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Karnataka have reported lesser number of deaths as compared to Maharashtra.

The former Maharashtra chief minister alleged that nobody in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government was paying attention towards the growth of the state, which he added, has become backward under Thackeray's watch. To a question about Congress leaders objecting to the government's 'MahaJobs' portal advertisement carrying no picture of the party's leaders, Rane claimed that the grand old party had no say in the MVA government.

In a series of interviews, published between July 11 and 13 by 'Saamana', Pawar was interviewed by the Marathi daily's executive editor and Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on a range of issues including India-China face-off in Galwan Valley and political scenario in the state and at the national level. Pawar had also criticized Fadnavis over his 'Mi punha yein' (I will come back) comment during the last year's assembly polls, saying voters thought this stance smacked of arrogance and felt that they should be taught a lesson.