PM Modi assassination plot: BJP playing 'threat letter' conspiracy to gain sympathy, says Sharad Pawar

Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar launched a scathing attack against ruling BJP over the recent reports of threats to the Prime minister Narendra Modi and chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and claimed that BJP's is coming down, hence it has come up with threat letter conspiracy. 

Pawar was speaking at rally organised to celebrate 19 anniversary of the party and valedictory function of the party's Halla Bol agitation in the state. 

Speaking on the issue of recent statements reports that PM Modi and CM Fadnavis have received threats allegedly by maoists, Pawar said, "After these reports of threat letters, a retired police official told me that when such letters comes, it does not go to media but it goes to the security agencies and additional security measures are taken."

"In case of threat letters to BJP leaders, the authenticity of these letters is yet to be proved. BJP is losing the popularity in these four years and to gain it again, they are coming up with these tactics, however, people will not fall prey for it," Pawar added. 

Pawar also criticised the government over recent action of arrest of five people for alleged connection with Maoists. He said, "Some like minded progressive people came together and they held Elgaar Parishad in Pune but the government put them behind bars and they are being branded as naxalites."

"Entire world knows who is behind Bhima-Koregaon violence but instead of taking action against them, the government is arresting those who have no connection with the violence," he said. 

Referring the action against his party leader Chhagan Bhujbal who was also present at the event, Pawar said, "The government is playing vendetta politics and action against Bhujbal was an example of it. Though he had not done anything wrong, he was kept behind bars for two and half years. Now in a similar way, the government is targeting former finance minister P Chidambaram."

Citing the recent snag with the EVMs during bypoll, Pawar said, "Election commission has given us in writing that the EVMs were not working at 64 centers in Bhandara-Gondia bypoll. While the BJP is not gaining much support, it has now come to manipulation of EVMs to win elections."

"I am appealing all parties except BJP to come together and we will approach the election commission with a request to discard EVMs and bring back the ballot system for elections," he added.