Mumbai: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday took a swipe at the Bharatiya Janata Party saying that there is no "Jyotiraditya Scindia-like" figure in ranks of ruling allies in the state. He instead asked the BJP to keep a watch over its legislators who were not present in the assembly. Pawar was reacting to BJP leader and former Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar's remark that the Congress and NCP legislators should remember that just like Madhya Pradesh, there will be a Jyotiraditya Scindia in Maharashtra too,
In his reply to the debate on annual budget 2020-21 in the state assembly, Pawar, who holds the finance portfolio, also commented on Mungantiwar's admission yesterday that BJP deceived the one-time ally Shiv Sena last year and that it was a mistake.
"There is no pardon for the mistake," Pawar said, looking in the direction of Chief Minister and Sena president Uddhav Thackeray leading to laughter in the House.
The Shiv Sena and the BJP parted ways after the assembly elections last year due to differences over power-sharing. The Sena later joined hands with the Congress and the NCP, its political rivals then, to form government.
Pawar said there is no "Jyotiraditya Scindia-like figure" in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), the ruling alliance consisting of the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress, and asked the BJP to look after its own flock as there could be such a person in its own ranks.
Scindia, a long-time Congress leader and former Union minister, quit the party and joined the BJP on Wednesday.
"You better keep a watch on those who were not present now (in the assembly)," the NCP leader told the opposition.
Pawar in his jibe against the Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis and other BJP leaders for doubting the longevity of the MVA government. "You have to do this to keep your flock together," he said.
Mungantiwar, speaking after Pawar, said the "BJP ditching the Sena" comment was made in a sarcastic tone, but the NCP minister used it to suit his politics.
Opposition members later staged a walkout from the assembly in protest against Pawar's reply.
