Why no probe agency swung into action after Ganpat Gaikwad's claims against CM Shinde? Uddhav

Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Monday asked why no probe agency swung into action after BJP MLA Ganpat Gaikad claimed that Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde owes him crores of rupees.

Speaking at a public rally in Rajapur tehsil of Ratnagiri district, Thackeray said he does not support the action of Ganpat Gaikwad, who is accused of firing at a Shiv Sena leader inside a police station in Thane district on Friday, but the BJP MLA's claims cannot be easily ignored, he said.

Before his arrest in connection with the firing incident, Ganpat Gaikwad on Friday said only criminals will be born in Maharashtra if Shinde is the chief minister.

"Shinde sahib betrayed Uddhav. He will betray the BJP. He owes me crores of rupees. Shinde should resign if Maharashtra has to be well-managed," the MLA told a news channel.

During the rally on Monday, Thackeray asked, "Why has no action been taken against the chief minister when BJP MLA Ganpat Gaikwad has levelled serious allegations against him?" The MLA has said that his crores of rupees are stuck with Shinde, the former Maharashtra chief minister noted.

"If it is true, then why no probe agency has swung into action? I want people to think before they go to vote," Thackeray said.

"If the Union government can send probe (agency) officials to the houses of (former Jharkhand CM) Soren and (Delhi CM) Kejriwal, why no similar urge is shown and Shinde's house is not raided?" he asked.

Thackeray further said he wanted to ask the ruling BJP's supporters that if their own MLA's issues were not being addressed by the government, why were they backing their party.

He also hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and claimed, "I do not see PM Modi as my enemy but he considers me like the one. He engineered a split in my party and stole by party. Late Balasaheb Thackeray had once helped him during his critical time but now Modi is helping a thief and made him chief minister of the state." Thackeray further targeted PM Modi over Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar parting ways with the opposition INDIA bloc, and arrest of former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren in a money laundering case.

"Even my Shiv Sena leaders are being targeted because none of them are extending support to him," he claimed.