In an unfortunate incident on Friday, BJP MLA Sunil Kamble, a member of the Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition government in Maharashtra, India, reportedly assaulted NCP leader Jitendra Satav and a police officer during the inauguration of a third-party ward at Sassoon Hospital in Pune.
Eyewitnesses stated that Kamble expressed anger upon discovering his name was omitted from a plaque commemorating the ward's inauguration. Subsequently, he allegedly attacked Satav and a police officer who attempted to intervene. Prominent attendees, including Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar of the NCP, witnessed the incident. Pawar has since filed a police complaint against Kamble.
This altercation is expected to exacerbate tensions between the BJP and the NCP, two key constituents of the Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition. Notably, Kamble has a history of controversial behavior. In September 2021, he faced public scrutiny after an audio clip surfaced, purportedly capturing him verbally abusing a female engineer from the Pune Municipal Corporation. Additionally, Kamble has faced accusations of corruption and involvement in land grabbing. The repercussions for Kamble's latest assault remain uncertain as authorities assess the appropriate course of action.