Shelar slams Pawar for opposing Centre's move on Article 370

Maharashtra minister and BJP leader Ashish Shelar has slammed Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar, stating his stand on scrapping of Article 370 was similar to that of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan.

He mocked the pre-poll collaboration between the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena and the NCP and said when "one zero joins another zero, the result will remain zero".

Shelar was campaigning for BJP nominee and sitting MLA Sanjay Kelkar at a poll rally in Maharashtra's Thane district on Thursday evening.

"If Sharad Pawar feels that he should not be asked questions that will put him in trouble, then we will surely ask him repeatedly why he is opposed to the scrapping of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir," he said, taking a jibe at the Maratha strongman.

He said Pawar's stand on invalidating Article 370, which accorded special status to Jammu and Kashmir, was similar to that of the Pakistan Prime Minister.

The Centre scrapped the controversial provision of the Constitution on August 5.

After attacking opposition parties, Shelar went on to list the achievements of the BJP-Shiv Sena government in the last five years.

"Today, we get samadan (satisfaction), anand (happiness) and motha samarthan (huge support), all because of the good work done by members of the cabinet and the Chief Minister in the last five years," he said.