Fadnavis, Maha ministers 'committed' to luring leaders: Pawar

Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar on Sunday accused Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and other BJP ministers of "committing themselves" to poaching leaders from other parties before the assembly election.

Pawar also accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party of misusing probe agencies and state-run financial bodies to compel leaders to join their fold.

"The chief minister and other ministers in the state government have literally committed themselves to this work (luring leaders of other parties). They are making phone calls to leaders of other parties and asking them to join," the NCP president said.

Citing an example of the alleged misuse of financial bodies, he said: "The sugar mill of (former MLA) Kalyan Kale in Pandharpur was in a difficult situation. The state government, by flouting norms, gave Rs 30-35 crore to it and asked him to join the BJP. Since he wanted to save his factory, he switched over."