Khadse had to go for snapping ties with us: Sena

Former Maharashtra BJP minister Eknath Khadse has paid the price for breaking the political alliance with the Shiv Sena, the Sena said on Monday.

"The arrogance of boldly breaking the alliance with Shiv Sena was always visible on his (Khadse's) face till the very end. Finally, he had to quit and go home," the Sena said in an edit in its mouthpiece Saamana.

The reference was to the snapping of the 25-year-old alliance between the two saffron partners on the eve of the October 2014 Maharashtra assembly elections which they fought separately.

Later, the BJP formed a minority government and the Sena remained in the opposition for nearly two months. But succumbing to internal pressures, it walked over to the treasury benches as a coalition partner.

The Sena claimed history was a witness that "anybody who dares to confront" the party is reduced to ashes or goes to jail, referring to Khadse and former NCP Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal as well as former Sena leader who is now in prison.

Returning to Khadse, who quit on Saturday amid allegations, the Shiv Sena gleefully said he claimed innocence and blamed everybody else including the media for his predicament.

Khadse's aide was nabbed for demanding a bribe of Rs.30 crore in a land deal, mafia don Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar used to give call him on his mobile, and the ex-minister's name figured in the MIDC Pune land scam.

"As you sow, so you shall reap," the Sena advised Khadse.

--IANS

qn/mr