Prithviraj Chavan blames PM for horse trading, toppling of Opposition governments

Mumbai: Former chief minister and Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan on Saturday blamed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP for overthrowing elected governments of opposition parties in states. Mr. Chavan alleged that the BJP is toppling the elected government and indulging into the buying and selling of MLAs with the full blessings of the Prime Minister. Hitting back at the Congress leader, Maharashtra minister Deepak Kesarkar said that when politicians crossed over to Congress in the past, Congress leaders did not see horse trading in it.

Mr. Chavan’s remark came in the wake of ongoing polls in five states. Referring to toppling of the MVA government led by Uddhva Thackeray, the senior Congress leader said that if the PM did not give his approval, there would be no horse trading.

“The BJP wants to form governments anyhow. They are ready to compromise with their ideology and principles. Mr. Modi had spoken about 70 thousand crore irrigation scam and MSC bank scam in Maharashtra. Following his accusation, within three days Ajit Pawar joined them,” the senior Congress leader said.

In June 2023, while addressing the BJP’s rally in Bhopal, Mr. Modi had said there were allegations of scams of nearly Rs 70,000 crore against NCP, including the Maharashtra Cooperative Bank (MSC) scam, irrigation scam and illegal mining scam.     

The senior Congress leader also claimed that the anti-defection law, which was brought by late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, was amended in 2003 during Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s regime. The amended enactment failed to contain the defection.  “As a result, horse trading has increased in the country. This would badly affect the administration, society and politics. If Narendra Modi had not given his consent, this horse trading (defection of Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar) would not have taken place in Maharashtra,” said Mr. Chavan.

Refuting Mr. Chavan’s allegations, Mr. Kesarkar said, “With due respect to Mr. Chavan, when many people joined the Congress party, he did not see horse trading in it. He should not have spoken like this. The Congress had dismissed many state governments. This is not horse trading. We are fighting for our principles,” the Shiv Sena leader said.

The Eknath Shinde faction had rebelled against Uddhav Thackeray on the grounds that he had compromised with the party’s ideology by joining hands with the Congress and NCP.