Thane BJP MLA firing case: Opposition targets CM Shinde over incident

The opposition in Maharashtra on Saturday demanded Chief Minister Eknath Shindes resignation after a Thane BJP MLA shot and injured a Shindeled Shiv Sena leader over a land dispute in Thane district BJP and Shindeled Sena are ruling partners in the state reported the PTIAccording to the PTI the Congress claimed that the incident pointed to a law and order breakdown in the state while the Uddhav Thackerayled Shiv Sena UBT said CM Shinde was responsible for itMeanwhile Nationalist Congress Party NCP president Sharad Pawar termed it worrisome and said there is a limit to the misuse of power as per the PTIDeputy CM Devendra Fadnavis told the media that he has ordered a highlevel probe into the firing incident while his peer Ajit Pawar said it was wrong for elected representatives to take the law into their own handsKalyan MLA Ganpat Gaikwad of BJP opened fire on Mahesh Gaikwad the Shiv Sena chief of Kalyan inside a police station at Ulhasnagar in Thane district on Friday night Additional Commissioner of Police Dattatrya Shinde told the media the news agency reported on SaturdayUlhasnagar falls in the Kalyan parliamentary constituency currently represented by Maharashtra CM Eknath Shindes son Shrikant ShindeTalking to the news channel Zee24taas over the phone before his arrest Ganpat Gaikwad alleged that CM Shinde was trying to establish a kingdom of criminals in MaharashtraFormer chief minister Ashok Chavan called the shooting extremely serious and worrisomeThe incident at the Hill Line police station in Ulhasnagar is not only a challenge to law and order but also puts a question mark on the trustworthiness and responsibility of the state government to deliver justice Congress leader Ashok Chavan said in a post on his X handleLeader of opposition in the state assembly Vijay Wadettiwar attributed the firing to arrogance of power and vendetta politics and accused CM Shinde of encouraging mob culture in the stateThere is a law and order breakdown he saidWadettiwar said that CM Shinde betrayed Uddhav Thackeray and will do the same with BJPGanpat Gaikwads statement that CM Shindes son is indulging in corruption and nothing happened despite complaining to Devendra Fadnavis and senior BJP leaders is shocking It shows the true colours of Maha Yuti ruling coalition As elections draw close their internal strife will also grow he claimedState Congress president Nana Patole said the allegations made by the BJP MLA against the CM are serious and he should resign immediatelyShiv Sena UBT leader Sanjay Raut held the CM responsible for the shooting incident claiming that the government in Maharashtra has been formed through mobocracy and gundagiriThe incident has occurred in CMs district and he is responsible for it Gaikwad has blamed Eknath Shinde Sanjay Raut told reporters the PTI reportedHe also alleged that calls are being made from the CMs Office to criminals in jail Criminals from jails in Thane Mumbai and Kolhapur are being released on bail to help the ruling party in the elections he claimedBefore his arrest Ganpat Gaikwad had also said Shinde saheb betrayed Uddhav saheb he will also betray BJP he owes me crores of rupees Shinde should resign if Maharashtra is to be wellmanaged This is my humble request to Devendra Fadnavis deputy CM and Prime Minister Narendra ModiNCP president Sharad Pawar termed the shooting worrisome and said there is a limit to the misuse of power Party working president Supriya Sule wondered if the home minister deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis has given the open licence to BJP leaders to play with law and order the news agency reportedIn Pune a BJP MLA slapped a police officer in public while in Ulhasnagar another BJP MLA opened fire on a former corporator in a police station The chief minister and deputy chief minister are keeping quiet she alleged adding that the Centre should dismiss the state governmentChhagan Bhujbal and group leader of NCP Ajit Pawar countered Supriya Sules charge saying Did Devendra Fadnavis ask the MLA to open fireNCP national spokesperson Clyde Crasto said Fadnavis must resign claiming that he is unable to maintain law and order in the state Leaders from his party and criminals feel that they can commit crimes and get away with it he saidCrasto said a BJP MLA told his cadre a few days ago that do as you please and dont fear the law because we have someone living in Sagar bungalow in Mumbai who will take care of you Sagar bungalow is the residence of deputy CM FadnavisThe fact that a BJP MLA has shot a Shinde Sena cadre must make CM Eknath Shinde realise that all is not well between him and his ally Crasto said in a statementIf there is any selfrespect left in him he should leave the government and assure the people of Maharashtra that he does not endorse such lawlessness he said also demanding Devendra Fadnaviss resignationDeputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said it was wrong for elected representatives to take the law into their own hands I will discuss the issue with Devendra Fadnavis Pawar told reportersMeanwhile Devendra Fadnavis said he has ordered a highlevel inquiry into the shooting The probe will find out what made the MLA open fire and under what circumstances he saidwith PTI inputs