File photo of Congress leader Nana Patole
| Photo Credit: PTI
Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole had a narrow escape after a truck rammed into his car in the State’s Bhandara district late on Tuesday, following which the Congress alleged that it was a deliberate attempt on Mr. Patole’s life.
The accident occurred near Kardha village when Mr. Patole was returning from a poll campaign and no one was injured.
In a video statement, the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee chief claimed that a truck had deliberately tried to hit his car. However, in another statement later, he said there was no cause for worry as the truck had brushed the side of his car.
Congress national spokesperson Atul Londhe targeted the ruling BJP over the accident while BJP leaders laughed off Mr. Londhe’s suggestion as ludicrous.
In a post on X, Mr. Londhe said: “Does BJP want to win the election by eliminating the Opposition leaders? Congress State president Nana Patole was on a campaign tour of Bhandara district on Tuesday night when a truck hit his car and tried to crush it near Kardha village. This is a very serious incident and leads one to doubt whether this was a plot against his life.”
Mr. Londhe said that Mr. Patole escaped injury as the blessings of the public were with him.
He further said that security for senior Maharashtra Congressmen leaders like former CM Prithviraj Chavan and Balasaheb Thorat had already been been reduced, as was that of Maharashtra Leader of Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar who frequently toured Naxal-hit areas.
Rubbishing the Congress spokesperson’s allegations, BJP leader Atul Bhatkalkar called Mr. Londhe’s accusations “baseless.”
“I strongly condemn these insinuations…Patole and Londhe ought to vent their frustrations felt against their ally, Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT) on someone else instead of making such absurd allegations,” Mr. Bhatkalkar said, adding that the BJP gave no weight to the allegations and had no wish to dignify them.
Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Shirsat, making light of Mr. Londhe’s accusations, quipped: “It appears that in this MVA coalition, if Nana Patole has any bitter enemy, it is Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut. The police should indeed probe this accident to find out who is behind it as the Congress are claiming.”
Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule said he prayed that Mr. Patole remained safe and healthy, while criticising the Congress’ allegations against the BJP.