Shiv Sena

Fadnavis launched a blistering, no-holds-barred attack at Pawar, ranging from the Constitution to the mafia to 'The Kashmir Files' and the man who coined the word 'Hindu terror' -- though the immediate political provocation for the loaded verbal assault was not clear.

The activist had demanded details of the funds raised from the public, retired and serving defense personnel, and officials in an attempt to save the decommissioned 'Vikrant' from the scrapyard in 2013-2014. "Somaiya had offered to help out with the fund-raisers and said the amount collected would be handed over to the Maharashtra Governor at Raj Bhavan. Finally, the Raj Bhavan has stated that no such money was received," Raut said.

The development comes nearly two months after Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Vice-President & Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu on February 28, levelling serious charges against the ED and accusing the central agency of running an 'extortion racket' in Mumbai.

In a Macaque-shaming somersault, Raj slammed Uddhav for not respecting the peoples' mandate in favour of Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party in the 2019 Assembly elections and choosing to ally with Nationalist Congress Party-Congress to head the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government. "He has betrayed the peoples' verdict. He claims there was a closed-door understanding with Amit Shah to share the post of CM. Why he remembered it only after the elections," boomed Raj.

Coming three days after his brother-in-law faced action by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Thackeray also questioned the corruption allegations levelled by the BJP and the actions of various central probe agencies to defame the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, its leaders and their families.

Malik, 62, who held the Minority Affairs and Skill Development, besides being Guardian Minister of Gondiya and Parbhani districts, was arrested on February 23, and is currently in judicial custody till March 21. At a meeting presided over by the NCP President Sharad Pawar, it was decided to relieve Malik of his portfolios and other official charges to ensure work does not suffer and files don't pile up in his absence.