BJP MLC Parinay Fuke on Thursday claimed that NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar was considering joining the Congress and had toured Maharashtra’s Bhandara-Gondia region to “please” senior Congress leader Nana Patole.
BJP MLC Parinay Fuke on Thursday claimed that NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar was considering joining the Congress and had toured Maharashtra’s Bhandara-Gondia region to “please” senior Congress leader Nana Patole.
Pawar rejected the claim and hit back at Fuke, accusing him of focusing on his political affairs instead of farmers’ concerns and alleging that the BJP leader was shielding corruption.
Fuke claimed that Pawar’s relationship with NCP (SP) working president Supriya Sule had deteriorated and that senior leaders of the party were opposed to him.
“Actually, I feel that things have not worked out between him and Supriya tai in the NCP (SP). He is always at odds with Supriya tai, and because of that, senior NCP (SP) leaders are against Rohit Pawar. I can see that Rohit Pawar is thinking of joining the Congress,” Fuke said.
“He therefore toured Bhandara-Gondia to please Nana Patole,” he claimed.
Pawar, who represents the Karjat-Jamkhed Assembly constituency in Ahilyanagar district, asked Fuke to focus on farmers’ issues instead of making what he described as baseless claims about him.
He referred to Fuke’s earlier comments on the paddy bonus, saying the MLC had claimed that the bonus could not be given after the government announced a loan waiver.
“I just want to say — don’t worry about me. The point is simple, Parinay Fuke, people know you are close to the chief minister. But what do you use that closeness for?” Pawar asked.
Pawar alleged that Fuke had used his “proximity to the CM” to get action taken against opposition workers while protecting BJP functionaries allegedly involved in illegal sand businesses.
He also claimed that Fuke had visited Chhattisgarh as part of an exercise to study paddy procurement and bonus issues there.
“Over there, the government procures paddy at Rs 3,500. And in Maharashtra, paddy is purchased at Rs 2,300. Despite Devendra Fadnavis giving his word, the bonus for 2025-26 was not given,” Pawar claimed.
He said farmers were entitled to both the promised loan waiver and paddy bonus, and demanded that the government procure paddy at Rs 3,500 per quintal.
“You will have to give a rate of Rs 3,500 during paddy procurement and provide the bonus as well,” Pawar said.
Pawar also alleged irregularities in the implementation of the employment guarantee scheme in Gondia district’s Deori taluka.
He claimed that Rs 12 crore had been withdrawn on paper and alleged that the amount could rise to Rs 1,000 crore across 55 villages. According to Pawar, an audit of four villages had uncovered alleged irregularities worth Rs 12 crore.
He further alleged that materials for the scheme were purchased from a shop belonging to a BJP chairman of a local body, and said a hearing was expected in the coming days.
“Rather than talking about my personal matters, the government is yours, right? Speaking out against the corruption you and your people are doing is much more important, Parinay Fuke,” Pawar said.
