Pawar's statements show he has lost his conscience: Fadnavis

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis Monday attacked NCP president Sharad Pawar, saying the latter has been making statements which showed he had lost his conscience.

Addressing a poll rally here, Fadnavis also used cricket terminologies to allege Pawar decided against contesting Lok Sabha election from Madha constituency due to a "googly" delivered by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Modi and Pawar have of late engaged in recrimination. The prime minister on April 1 fired the first salvo, saying Pawar had lost grip over his party and and was battling "family feuds".

Hitting back, Pawar recently said that "one who does not have a family would not know what a family is", adding that Modi need not be worried as the Pawars were very much united.

"Sharad Pawar ji ki haalat to aisi ho gayi...ab Sharad Pawar ji ke bayaan agar dekhenge, unki sadsad vivek buddhi bhi unke sath nahi rahi. Is prakar ke bayaan ab Pawar ji de rahe hai (Sharad Pawar ji's condition is such...if one looks at his statements, he has lost his conscience. He is giving such kind of statements)," the chief minister said without specifying any of Pawar's remarks.

Referring to Pawar's decision to not contest the Lok Sabha polls from Madha after first announcing that he would do so, Fadnavis said the "NCP's captain" had put on his pads, gloves and helmet and announced that he would hit a century.

"But Modi saheb delivered such a googly that he headed to pavilion and became 12th man," Fadnavis quipped.

Fadnavis said a NCP leader from Nashik, who he dubbed "bahurupi" or impersonator, was targeting Modi and the BJP.

The leader, Fadnavis said, was in jail but is talking as if he was a "freedom fighter".

"But he had gone to jail for corruption...Under Modi ji's watch, those who are corrupt have place only in jail," Fadnavis said, without naming the leader.

It is believed Fadnavis was referring to senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal, who was in jail in connection with a money laundering case.

The Bombay High Court had granted Bhujbal bail in May 2018.