BJP's move to field "tainted" leaders like Pravin Darekar and R N Singh among six nominees for the upcoming Legislative Council polls drew a sharp rebuke from AAP which today said the saffron party has gone "morally bankrupt" and seems "desperate" to garner funds.
Twelve candidates, six from BJP, are in the fray for elections to 10 Legislative Council seats, scheduled for June 10.
"Since the party's (BJP) whole concentration is on collecting funds, it has sold out the candidacy to the scamsters. The BJP in Maharashtra seems to have gone morally bankrupt and in desperate need of funds.
"That's why it clings on to the likes of Pravin Darekar, R N Singh to raise funds from dubious sections and for vote banks. Every child in the city knows the credentials of these two people," AAP national spokesperson Preeti Sharma Menon said at a press conference here.
Interestingly, the nomination of former Darekar, a former MNS MLA, under whose chairmanship a fraud had allegedly taken place in the Mumbai District Central Cooperative Bank, has also caused a heartburn within the BJP.
Preeti, however, supported the candidature of Sadabhau Khot, a farmers' leader from Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatna, and Vinayak Mete of Shivsangram Party. Both the outfits are allies of BJP in the state government.
"The party's (BJP) own nominee Pravin Darekar is a man accused of embezzling Rs 123 crore from Mumbai District Central Cooperative Bank of which he was chairman.
"Interestingly, the FIR against Darekar was filed by BJP secretary Vivekanand Gupta as at that time the former was with MNS. He then joined BJP and the scam investigation went into a slow mode," the AAP leader claimed.
She alleged that R N Singh had allegedly purchased 105 acres of land in Ratnagiri district for a paltry sum of Rs 5.8 lakh in 2013.
"This one (nomination of Singh) is a big shocker because Congress leader (former minister) Kripashankar Singh is under investigation in connection with the disproportionate assets (case) by the Enforcement Directorate and R N Singh was named along with Singh's wife as a scamster who bought 105 acres of land in Ratnagiri for a paltry sum of Rs 5.8 lakh in 2013," Preeti alleged.
"Kripashankar is also known to have doled out 349 arms
licenses out of which 102 went to his friend R N Singh. Such a dubious character joined BJP a few days back and has been given a nomination," she said.
Kripashankar had served as a minister of state for Home in 2004 in the Congress-led state government.
Preeti further alleged that R N Singh was trying to "usurp" the property and building of 'Uttar Bhartiya Sangh' headed by him and has appointed his kin on plum posts.
"Aam Aadmi Party condemns this deal making of the BJP. We feel the stature of the Legislative Council will be diminished when such tainted candidates are nominated. We demand that the BJP withdraw the nominations of the scam accused.
"If the BJP cannot find a single honest person in its fold, we will be happy to help them find eminent citizens from Maharashtra who will bring honour to the House," she added.
Defending Darekar, the BJP state unit president Raosaheb Danve had already said that such allegations were part of one's political life.
"Such accusations are common in political life. Unless and untill anybody is proved guilty (by court), he is not guilty," he had said yesterday.
Six candidates in the fray from BJP include Surjit Singh Thakur, Pravin Darekar, Prasad Lad, R N Singh, Sadabhau Khot and Vinayak Mete. Manoj Kotak, also of BJP, is contesting as an Independent.
