On the eve of the Maharashtra Assembly election, the BJP held a press conference and accused State Congress president Nana Patole and NCP leader Supriya Sule of being involved in illegal trade of bitcoins. This comes after audio tapes and a WhatsApp chat surfaced, allegedly showing interactions between these leaders and a bitcoin dealer, Gaurav Mehta. The BJP has posed questions to the Congress and its MVA partners, questioning their involvement in the matter and demanding clarity on the issue. Ms. Sule has filed a complaint against these "fake allegations" and has approached the Cyber Crime department and the Election Commission.
A retired cop has accused Supriya Sule and Nana Patole of involvement in a 2018 bitcoin fraud case, which the BJP claims was used for campaigning in the upcoming Maharashtra polls. Sule has refuted all claims and has filed a cybercrime complaint. BJP, in turn, has presented audio clips as evidence and demands responses from the opposition. Sule has also threatened to launch a defamation notice against BJP for their "desperation" and attempts to manipulate voters.
The Congress party in Maharashtra has launched 'Shakti Abhiyan', a campaign to empower women across the state. State president Nana Patole highlighted the positive response received by the Indira Gandhi Fellowship programme, under which the campaign was started a year ago. The campaign will be conducted at various levels and aims to bring women's leadership to the forefront. Patole also criticized the Modi government for not implementing the women's reservation bill, while assuring that the Congress will do so when in power.
In an explosive press conference, Maharashtra Congress Committee President Nana Patole accused the Eknath Shinde-led Mahayuti government of mortgaging the state to Gujarat. He also alleged that prime plots were being sold to Adani at throwaway prices, while the entire country was being auctioned off by the ruling BJP government. Patole asserted that the Congress party's priority was to protect the pride and save Maharashtra, as he discussed the recent Hindenburg Research allegations against the Sebi Chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch and their alleged nexus with Adani and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Amidst speculation that Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray was eyeing the chief minister's seat in Maharashtra, he has announced that he will not be running for the position and instead supports the Congress-NCP alliance to choose a candidate. Thackeray believes that pre-poll announcement will alleviate tensions within the Maha Vikas Aghadi and prevent a power struggle within the alliance. He made this statement at the MVA conclave where he also met with NCP chief Sharad Pawar and state Congress president Nana Patole.
Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole inspected the Atal Setu bridge and pointed out cracks, highlighting corruption in the construction of the bridge that connects Mumbai to Navi Mumbai. The ruling BJP and MMRDA clarified that the cracks were on the approach road, not the bridge itself. Despite this, Congress continued to allege corruption and risk to the bridge, leading to a political rift between the parties.
The Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole visited the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Sewri-Nhava Seva Atal Setu in Navi Mumbai to inspect cracks that have appeared on the bridge. The bridge, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier this year, has been used by more than 70,000 vehicles daily. The inspection by the Congress chief is seen as a political move, as the state gears up for upcoming elections. The development comes amid other controversies surrounding Patole and the Congress party.
Former Maharashtra Chief Minister and Congress leader Ashok Chavan has resigned from the party's primary membership amidst reports of him joining the BJP ahead of the upcoming polls. Chavan, who represents Bhokar in the state Assembly, has been in talks with the BJP and is rumored to be getting a ticket to the Rajya Sabha. Sources suggest that his differences with state party chief Nana Patole on candidate selection may have played a role in his decision to switch sides. This move could have significant consequences for the Congress in the upcoming polls as Chavan wields significant influence in the Nanded region of Maharashtra.
Hours after formally resigning from the Congress party, former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan expressed disappointment with the party leadership for not addressing his grievances. In a letter to state Congress president Nana Patole, Chavan also submitted his resignation as an MLA. His exit follows the departure of other senior Congress leaders from the state, raising questions about the party's hold on Maharashtra politics. Sources suggest that more Congress MLAs and leaders may follow Chavan and join the BJP.