Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024: BJP's stellar show marred by two leaders citing sabotage, betrayal

Mumbai: BJP leader Ram Satpute and newly-elected MLA Suresh Dhas on Monday accused MLC colleagues Ranjitsinh Mohite-Patil and Pankaja Munde of betrayal and sabotage in the Maharashtra assembly polls.

While Satpute failed to retain his Malshiras assembly seat and lost to Uttamrao Jankar of Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) by 13147 votes , Dhas won from Ashti trouncing independent candidate Bhimrao Anandrao Dhonde by 77975 votes.

Satpute claimed Mohite-Patil used "half" of the Rs 113 crore allocated by Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to the latter's sugar factory to sabotage his poll bid.

"This is treachery. He (Mohite-Patil) used BJP's resources to fund the opposition. My wife faced obstacles during campaign rallies, with tractors blocking her route. BJP workers were threatened and even attacked by his people," Satpute alleged.

He showed photographs to back his claim of Mohite-Patil "openly" supporting Jankar.

"How can the BJP tolerate this? He must be expelled immediately," Satpute insisted after meeting Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and deputy CMs Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar.

Dhas, meanwhile, hit out at senior party colleague and MLC Pankaja Munde.

"Pankajatai, I considered you like a sister, but what you did was unacceptable. You attended a rally in Shirur and criticised the BJP. Your personal assistants even encouraged people to vote for an independent candidate. Why would you betray your own party?" Dhas questioned.

"You've lost a good ally today. It's time to change the people around you," he said attacking Munde, a former state minister and daughter of BJP stalwart late Gopinath Munde.

The Mahayuti swept the polls to the 288-member assembly, with BJP bagging 132 seats, Shiv Sena getting 57 and 41 going into the kitty of the NCP.

The opposition Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) of Sharad Pawar managed to win just 16, 20 and 10 seats, respectively.

While polls were held on November 20, results were declared on November 23.