Mumbai: Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal launched a scathing attack on the ruling BJP-led alliance on Wednesday, calling Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis the “most helpless CM in the state's history.” His remarks come amid a series of embarrassing controversies involving alliance ministers and MLAs.
Congress Cites Ministerial Misconduct to Slam BJP Rule in Maharashtra
Speaking to reporters, Sapkal pointed to recent incidents, including Agriculture Minister Manikrao Kokate being caught playing rummy on his phone inside the legislative council, and Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad assaulting a canteen worker over stale food.
BJP Government Has Turned Maharashtra Into a Political Circus: Sapkal
“Every day, his ministers are involved in one scandal or another, but all the CM does is tolerate them,” Sapkal said. "Maharashtra once had a proud political legacy from leaders like Yashwantrao Chavan to Vilasrao Deshmukh and Prithviraj Chavan. But for the past ten years, the BJP government has turned Maharashtra into a circus."
In a fiery statement, he likened the state assembly to a card club and the outside political environment to a wrestling arena, squarely blaming Fadnavis for the chaos.
“This government doesn't respect democracy. It acts with a ‘we do what we want’ mentality,” Sapkal charged. “One minister is caught with bags full of cash, another plays rummy in the assembly, and a third reportedly has a dance bar operating under his mother's name. These ministers should be immediately sacked, but Fadnavis appears weak and powerless.”
Law and Order Collapse Under BJP Rule, Says Sapkal
Sapkal also highlighted the deteriorating law and order situation in the state. “Women are increasingly unsafe. Drug trafficking from Gujarat is booming, pushing youth into addiction. Gangs like the 'Koyta Gang' are running wild, and illegal businesses are thriving. There's no fear of the police anymore. This lawlessness and criminal culture is a direct result of Fadnavis’s failed leadership.”
Birthday compliments don't mean political endorsement, Sapkal clarifies
When asked about recent birthday wishes extended to Fadnavis by senior leaders Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray, Sapkal dismissed any political significance. “This is part of Maharashtra’s political culture. We do not treat political opponents as enemies. Ideological battles are fought with ideas, not hostility. These wishes don’t imply any change in political alignments.”
