A day after its ally BJP backed the opposition NCP's no-confidence motion to oust the Congress veteran Shivajirao Deshmukh as chairman of the state Legislative Council, the Shiv Sena today expressed doubt over the "fate" of the cases of corruption pending against NCP leaders.
The Sena said it had requested the BJP to remain neutral on the motion but the latter went ahead with its decision.
"We are concerned about the fate of different inquiries (against NCP leaders) and whether there will be a roadblock because of this association between the BJP and NCP," Sena MLC Neelam Gorhe told PTI.
NCP state unit president Sunil Tatkare has already denied having an arrangement with BJP in this regard.
While a total of 45 members---27 of NCP and 12 of BJP -- voted in favour of the no-confidence motion yesterday, 22 voted against it, even as Shiv Sena, the ally of BJP in the state government, abstained from voting.
Apart from NCP and BJP, one member each of Shetkari Kamgar Paksha, Rashtriya Samaj Paksha, Shiv Sangram, and three independents voted in favour of the motion.
Gorhe conceded that Sena knew of BJP's plan of voting in favour of the motion, but BJP went ahead with its decision despite Sena's request to remain neutral, she said.
"We were never kept in the dark about BJP's plan. We knew that they will back the NCP. (Chief Minister) Devendra Fadnavis had told us this. We had requested them to remain neutral but they went ahead and voted in favour of the motion," Gorhe said.
When asked if the BJP's act can be construed as a renewed bond between it and NCP, Gorhe said, "It will be too early to say this. BJP has given support on the floor of the House and thus giving this a political colour would be too early."
After coming to power last year, Fadnavis authorised the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to conduct 'open inquiries' against top NCP leaders Ajit Pawar, Chhagan Bhujbal and Sunil Tatkare over different graft allegations.
