BJP’s Chandrashekhar Bawankule Challenges Rahul Gandhi To Address Kamal Nath’s Statue Demolition Incident: ‘Will You Speak On This Past Controversy?’

The exchange highlights the charged political climate in Maharashtra, with both ruling and opposition parties engaging in heated rhetoric

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chandrashekhar

Controversy erupted over Congress MP Rahul Gandhi’s comments regarding the recent collapse of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue, prompting a sharp response from Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule. Gandhi had criticized the incident, leading Bawankule to accuse him of exaggerating the issue.

Bawankule dismissed Gandhi’s remarks as an attempt to “make a mountain out of a molehill,” attributing the collapse to a “technical mistake.” He further drew attention to a past incident involving Madhya Pradesh, where a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was demolished during Kamal Nath’s tenure as Chief Minister. Bawankule challenged Gandhi to address that incident, questioning, “Will Rahul Gandhi speak on it?” He also highlighted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other BJP leaders had issued apologies for the recent statue collapse, attempting to downplay the controversy.

Addressing speculation about the Chief Ministerial candidate for the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition, Bawankule criticized the internal strife within the opposition. He claimed that NCP leader Sharad Pawar is pushing for Supriya Sule as the Chief Minister, while the Congress displays varying banners for potential leaders. Bawankule suggested that the MVA is unlikely to endorse Uddhav Thackeray as their Chief Ministerial candidate, reflecting ongoing political uncertainty and factionalism within the opposition alliance.

The exchange highlights the charged political climate in Maharashtra, with both ruling and opposition parties engaging in heated rhetoric as they prepare for upcoming electoral battles.