PUNE: A day after Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath campaigned in Maharashtra for the Mahayuti candidate and underscored his slogan 'Batenge to Katenge,' BJP's ally NCP distanced itself from the statement. NCP Chief Ajit Pawar on Thursday said that people from 'outside' come and make some statements, but Maharashtra always maintained communal harmony. "Nobody should compare Maharashtra with other states.
People of this state always ensure communal harmony. Some people from outside come here and make statements, but Maharashtra never accepted any communal division. The state follows the secular ideology of Shahu (Maharaj), (Jyotiba) Phule, and (Babasaheb) Ambedkar," Ajit Pawar said without naming UP CM Yogi Adityanath.
Pawar also reiterated that he will be campaigning for his party's candidate, Nawab Malik, who is contesting assembly polls. Malik was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case. Currently out on bail, Malik is the NCP official candidate from the Mankhurd-Shivajinagar seat, from where Eknath Shinde led Shiv Sena also nominated its candidate.
Though both are candidates of Mahayuti, BJP decided to support Shinde's candidate and ruled out campaigning for Malik considering the case he is facing. "There are only allegations made against Malik, but none of those allegations have been proven. How can he be held guilty only on the basis of allegations? I will campaign for him," Ajit Pawar said on Thursday.
While Prime Minister Narendra .
