The opposition has consistently accused the BJP of misusing agencies to destabilize its elected representatives and governments. Even after the split of Shiv Sena and NCP in Maharashtra, accusations of the BJP's manipulation of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to influence leaders of these parties have persisted. However, no leader who switched allegiance had previously admitted to these allegations. That changed when a new controversy emerged in Maharashtra politics on Saturday, sparked by CM Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena candidate from Mumbai North West, Ravindra Waikar, openly admitting that he left Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena fearing imminent arrest in a case filed by the ED.
In an interview with a Marathi daily, Waikar stated, "I was falsely implicated in a case. I was left with only two options - either go to jail or switch sides. It was with a heavy heart that I made the decision to switch sides."
"I faced immense pressure, especially when my wife's name was also dragged into the case. I had no choice but to switch sides," Waikar added.
"When the allegations surfaced, I had to run from pillar to post. I was in a difficult situation, which is why I joined Eknath Shinde. My relationship with Matoshree goes back 50 years. It saddened me as much as breaking ties with my family. I am simply following where destiny leads me," he further explained.
Ravindra Waikar had remained loyal to Uddhav Thackeray even after the Shiv Sena split engineered by Eknath Shinde. However, he joined Eknath Shinde's faction in March this year. The Jogeshwari MLA was under scrutiny by the Mumbai Police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) and the ED in connection with the proposed construction of a luxury hotel in the city on a plot reserved by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
Waikar's admission of being pressured to switch sides, particularly in the midst of an election where he is a candidate, has created a headache for Eknath Shinde. With Waikar's confession, political circles in Maharashtra are now rife with speculation about whether Waikar is genuinely interested in contesting the election or if his allegiance still lies with Uddhav Thackeray's Sena.