MVA ministers, leaders not afraid of BJP's shallow threats, says NCP amid Rane row

In the wake of Union minister Narayan Rane's controversial remarks against Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, the NCP, which shares power in the state, on Thursday accused the BJP of threatening the ministers and leaders of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government. Talking to reporters, NCP spokesperson and state minister Nawab Malik said the BJP can misuse the power of the central government, but no leader from Maharashtra was afraid of the party's "shallow threats".

Referring to the clashes that broke out between the BJP and the ruling Shiv Sena over Rane's following his remarks, the NCP leader said, "The BJP has been threatening MVA ministers and leaders. It is free to file complaints in false cases and send our leaders to jail by misusing power. There is nothing new in it on part of the BJP."

Rane triggered a row earlier this week with his remarks about slapping Thackeray for what he claimed as the latter's ignorance of the year of India's independence. The Union minister was arrested from Ratnagiri in Maharashtra on Tuesday and later granted bail by a court at Mahad in Raigad.


His remarks and subsequent action against him led to protests across Maharashtra. The workers of Shiv Sena and BJP have been filing complaints to seek action against the leaders of their rival party on different grounds.

Talking about the Afghanistan crisis, Malik said the NCP was of the view that there should be a unity among all political parties over the issue.

"Party president Sharad Pawar, who is attending a meeting on this issue in Delhi, will stress on all party unity...The government will give details of the steps taken so far and discuss the road ahead at the meeting," he said.