Congress suspects sabotage after its leader survives accident
Mumbai: Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee chief Nana Patole survived an accident as his car was allegedly hit by a truck in the Bhandara district late Tuesday night. The Congress has demanded investigation alleging that it could be a deliberate attempt on the party leader’s life. Patole also alleged sabotage, saying the truck deliberately rammed into his vehicle.
The accident took place near Kardha village when Patole was returning from the poll campaign. The speeding truck hit his car due to which the vehicle suffered major damage, while others in the convoy narrowly escaped the accident.
Patole himself shared a video message giving information about the crash. “I was returning from a campaign rally to my home in Sakoli when a truck rammed into our vehicle. We survived but my vehicle has been damaged beyond repair,” Patole said in a video posted on social media.
The Congress leader said he has lodged a complaint with the police to find out if the accident was a deliberate attempt to harm him.
State Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe raised suspicions about the accident, stating it might have been an attempt on the party chief’s life. Patole survived as the ‘blessings of the public’ were with him, he added.
In a post on X, 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.”
Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule said he prayed that Patole remained safe and healthy, while criticising the Congress’ allegations against the BJP.
Rubbishing Congress’ sabotage claims, deputy chief minister and top BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis said such things will never happen in Maharashtra politics. “Though we are from different parties, we are not enemies. The ideological differences are there, but Nana Patole is our friend. I have spoken to him after the accident and wished him well,” he said.
