Uddhav Thackeray lashes out Sharad Pawar for calling off ED visit

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday took a veiled dig at rival Shar Pawar, a day after Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief called off his voluntary visit to office of Enforcement Directorate (ED) here in connection with state Cooperative Bank (MSCB) scam case.  dressing Sena workers, Uddhav recalled arrest of his far and Sena founder late Bal Thackeray in year 2000 by n Congress-NCP government, and said Maharashtra doesn't appreciate politics of "revenge and vengeance".

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Uddhav Thackeray defends his far's arrest back in 2000

He said body h visited Sena chief requesting him to t go to court so as to prevent any law and order situation. Two days after he anunced that he would visit ED office in south Mumbai on his own, Pawar on Friday afteron cancelled it at last moment on request of senior police officers who feared law and order situation.

"My far was t arrested for corruption or any irregularity but he was held for protecting Hindus in Mumbai and Maharashtra during 1992-93 riots," Uddhav said. Recalling events, Sena chief said Bal Thackeray went to court without any fear.

"body came for mediation saying don't go to court to prevent any law and order situation. Balasaheb went to court and asked what was his crime. But, some people wanted to show that y arrested Bal Thackeray. If you feel w government is indulging in politics of revenge (but I want to ask) who was in power that time...everyone remembers," Uddhav said in an apparent reference to Congress and NCP.

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Stating that Maharashtra doesn't practice politics of "vendetta", Uddhav said when Mahar Joshi was heing Sena-BJP government in 1995, Bal Thackeray h told him t to use force against political opponents if y protest against ruling dispensation.

"Even though y (Congress and NCP) are opponents y belong to our Maharashtra," he quoted Sena chief as saying. Uddhav said Sena is an outfit fighting for rightful justice and working for labourers, farmers and poor, and t for sake of power. "I will t quit politics and do farming. I will work to ensure that a shivsainik becomes chief minister," he said in a jibe at NCP leer Ajit Pawar.

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Ajit, who resigned as MLA of Baramati constituency on Friday, h reportedly told his family members that he was quitting politics and getting into farming or any or business. Earlier this week, ED filed a case in connection with alleged bank scam against Pawar, Ajit Pawar and ors, triggering a firestorm in state politics. Though ED never summoned Pawar, he volunteered to present himself before money-laundering ncy, saying he didn't want to create perception that he was avoiding ncy. Pawar's move galvanized workers and leers of NCP which is wrecked by desertions in run-up to crucial elections. 

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