‘Firing at public meet shows chaos in NCP’
Party seeks explanation from Nawab Malik, Sanjay Dina Patil
MUMBAI: Tuesday’s tiff between two Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leaders -- party spokesperson Nawab Malik and former Member of Parliament (MP) Sanjay Dina Patil – is likely to mar its image, said political observers.
While Malik said he was attacked by armed men allegedly sent by Patil at a public meeting at Deonar in Chembur, Patil alleged the spokesperson had sent armed men to attack him. Patil said his men acted only in defence.
In an unverified video released by some Marathi news channels, Patil and his bodyguard are seen brandishing their weapons.
The allegations made by the two leaders forced the police to register two separate FIRS for attempt to murder and rioting against them and their associates.
Six people were also injured in the scuffle, the police said.
The incident came as a jolt to the party, whose senior leaders Ajit Pawar, Sunil Tatkare and Chhagan Bhujbal are facing corruption charges.
Bhujbal has been in jail for eight months on charges of money laundering in the Maharashtra Sadan case.
The party leadership has now sought an explanation from the leaders. Sunil Tatkare, state NCP president said they have taken the matter seriously.
“Praful Patel, head of the disciplinary committee, has sought an explanation from Malik and Patil. The party will decide the course of action, after the inquiry is completed,” Tatkare told HT.
According to party sources, Deonar, a predominantly Muslim area, falls under Patil’s constituency — Mumbai North East. Patil was unhappy with Malik’s interference and holding of a public meeting there, they said.
The two leaders were involved in a tussle over appointment of local unit chief of the party with both lobbying for their nominee, said sources. MUMBAI Former AAP member Anjali Damania has approached a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court against former deputy chief minister of Maharashtra and senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal over his “long hospitalization”.
Damania has, in her plea, alleged the leader has been misusing the order passed by the special court, which permitted Bhujbal to undergo some tests at a private hospital.
Bhujbal was recommended three tests -- holter monitoring, thallium scan and electro-physiological study . However, as none of the government hospital had thallium scan, the prison authorities obtain a permission from PMLA court to get the test done from a private hospital.