Even when former minister and Shiv Sena leader from Jalna Arjun Khotkar denied that he joined the Chief Minister Eknath Shinde led camp, the Chief Minister’s PRO in a statement said that Khotkar, who faces actions from the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the alleged misappropriation funds in the sugar mill run by him, has extended his support to Shinde. Khotkar claimed that he keeps on coming to Delhi for his works and met Shinde in that regard. ‘’I am in Shiv Sena and there is no offer from Shinde camp,’’ he noted. In the presence of Shinde, Khotkar and union minister Raosaheb Danve patched up and decided to work together in Jalna.
‘’Rumours have been spread on social media that I have left Shiv Sena but there is no truth in it. I am still in Shiv Sena, I am Shiv Sainik today, tomorrow and forever. I will stay in Shiv Sena for the rest of my life,’’ said Khotkar.
However, CM’s PRO said, ‘’Khotkar, a former MLA from Jalna extended his support to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde during his meeting that took place in Delhi today. Khotkar also declared his support to the Shiv Sena-BJP government formed in the state based on the thoughts of Balasaheb Thackeray and Dharmaveer Anand Dighe.’’
Khotkar’s move has surprised many in the Thackeray faction and also in the Shinde camp. His meeting with Shinde came three days after he had attended Yuva Sena chief Aaditya Thackeray’s Shiv Samvad Yatra and delivered a speech lashing out at the rebel Shiv Sena legislators.
Further, Khotkar’s support to Shinde as claimed by the CM’s PRO came days after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) attached several land and properties belonging to the former minister in a money laundering case. The properties were attached under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in a case relating to the illegal sale of a cooperative sugar mill (Sahakari Sakhar Karkhana) in Maharashtra State Co-operative Bank (MSCB) case. The ED had initiated a probe based on an FIR registered by the Economic Offence Wing of Mumbai Police.
