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Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Vadgaon Sheri MLA Jagdish Mulik has trained his guns on Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) spokesperson Amol Mitkari after the latter sought clarification from Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis regarding the black flags shown to Ajit Pawar's convoy in Junnar on Sunday.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Mulik wrote in Marathi, "Ayee Mitkari, are you even qualified to ask for clarification from Devendraji? ..."
The controversy began when a group of BJP workers, led by the party’s Junnar chief Asha Buchake, waved black flags at Pawar’s convoy as his 'Jan Sanman Yatra' reached the area on Sunday. The protesters criticised Pawar for holding an official function while "sidelining" the allies. “They (NCP) are trying to strangle us… Therefore, we have adopted an aggressive stand,” Buchake told reporters as the protesters raised slogans against Pawar. "A government meeting on tourism development in Junnar was organised on Sunday. However, the BJP was not even invited to the meeting. If we are part of Mahayuti, then why weren't pictures of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Fadnavis displayed in the meeting hall?” she asked.
Buchake accused the NCP of promoting its sitting MLA Atul Benke in the lead-up to the upcoming Assembly polls. “The NCP is trying to promote another ‘Pappu’ in the form of Atul Benke in Junnar. Pawar is behaving like a rival party leader, ignoring the NCP’s alliance partners," she added.
Following the incident, NCP spokesperson Amol Mitkari sought clarification from Fadnavis, who is also the state's home minister.
Mitkari explained that the 'Jan Samman Yatra', a mass outreach initiative ahead of the Assembly polls, is a separate NCP programme.
"Those who showed black flags should do so separately. Devendra Fadnavis should immediately clarify this incident," the NCP leader said. He also posted a clip showing people carrying black and BJP flags as Pawar arrived in Junnar for the meeting, shouting slogans.
