BJP using ‘letter threat’ for sympathy: Sharad Pawar

Attacking BJP over the recent reports of threats to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar today claimed that since BJP’s popularity is going down, it has come up with threat letter conspiracy to  “garner people’s sympathy”.

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

Speaking on the recent reports of an alleged plot to assassinate Modi and Fadnavis, Pawar said, “A retired police official told me that when such letters comes, it does not go to media but to the security agencies to double security measure.”

“The authenticity of these letters is yet to be proved. BJP is losing popularity, and to gain it back, they are coming up with these tactics. However, people will not fall for it,” Pawar added.

Pawar also criticised the government for arresting five people over alleged connection with Maoists. He said, “Entire worlds 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 incident,” he said.

He said that the government ‘is playing vendetta politics’ and Chhagan Bhujbal has fallen prey to it. “He was kept behind bars for two-and-half years, though he was innocent. Now in a similar way, the government is targeting former finance minister P Chidambaram.”

Reacting to Pawar’s statement, Fadnavis hit back at Pawar in a tweet. “PM is the leader of  our nation and not just a political party. Pawar is not expected to stoop Down to this level. Police has all the evidences and truth will prevail,” he tweeted.