Sena (UBT) alleges Rs 50 crore offer to poach MPs; ruling party denies
Image Source: Indian Express
Amid speculation that six Lok Sabha MPs from the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) were planning to defect to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, party spokesperson Sanjay Raut alleged on Wednesday that the lawmakers were offered Rs 50 crore collectively, with an advance payment of Rs 15 crore. The ruling Shiv Sena countered, stating that the opposition party had failed to address the concerns of its MPs, leading to their dissatisfaction.
Raut claimed that the six MPs were taken to Delhi by charter planes from Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad and Nanded. He further alleged that one of the MPs, Omraje Nimbalkar, who represents Dharashiv and is considered close to Thackeray, was taken to Delhi from Pune past midnight after three failed attempts earlier on Tuesday.
Nimbalkar, however, denied the allegations. Speaking to reporters, he said, “I am tired of answering this question relating to leaving the party…I have not been offered any money by anyone.” He also denied travelling to Delhi, stating, “I am in Pune. I have not gone to Delhi.” Nimbalkar added that a video of him with Eknath Shinde circulating online was from 2019 and that he would take legal action against those spreading it.
Raut also alleged that Nimbalkar was promised a favourable verdict in a murder case related to his father, Pavanraje Nimbalkar, which is currently under trial. “They told him, ‘Join our party if you want the verdict to go in your favour,’” Raut claimed. He added that a prominent person had informed him that MPs from Maharashtra were being “bought” at a “guaranteed price of Rs 50 crore”.
Another Sena (UBT) leader, Sushma Andhare, alleged that the operation was being orchestrated by two sitting MPs: Sanjay Deshmukh and Nagesh Patil Ashtikar. She claimed that these MPs had been holding meetings over the past two months to engineer defections. Andhare said she tried to contact Nimbalkar but he did not answer, and when she spoke to MLA Kailas Dada Patil, his response was evasive.
Responding to the allegations, Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Shirsat said, “This process is not just from today. Something must have been going on for a long time. As a result, today the MPs do not want to stay with them.” He implied that the dissatisfaction within the Uddhav Sena had been building up, leading to the current situation.
No independent verification of the allegations was available at the time of reporting.
