Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam on Monday demanded a clarification from the central government and BJP over party MP Anant Kumar Hegde's statement that Devendra Fadnavis government was formed in Maharashtra to save the money allotted from the central fund.
"I was shocked by the statement given by the BJP leader. If the statement given by Hegde is true, then the amount of Rs 40,000 crore should be given back to the state government as the centre has no right to take back any money allotted to a state government, irrespective of which party is ruling in the state. However, if it is untrue then the Centre and BJP should issue a clarification over it," Nirupam told here.
Earlier, the MP from Uttara Kannada constituency, Hegde, had claimed that Devendra Fadnavis was made Maharashtra Chief Minister despite not having a majority to prevent central funds worth Rs 40,000 crore, from being "misused" by the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance of Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress.
"You all know our man in Maharashtra became Chief Minister for 80 hours. Then, Fadnavis resigned. Why did he do during this drama? Didn't we know that we don't have a majority and yet he became Chief Minister? This is the question everyone is asking" Hegde said here on Sunday.
However, earlier today, Fadnavis had denied his party colleague's claim that he was made the chief minister despite not having a majority to prevent central funds worth Rs 40,000 crore from being "misused".
"I have not heard what Anant Kumar Hegde has said, but from what I have heard from the media that the Maharashtra government gave Rs 40,000 crore to the central government, it is completely false. I deny this. Nothing like this happened," Fadnavis told media here.
Nirupam, meanwhile, also targeted the new Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray for stating that he would continue with his Hindutva ideology in the coalition government and added that it would be a disrespect of the Common Minimum Program between the Congress-NCP and Shiv Sena.
"Yesterday in the Vidhan Sabha, the Maharashtra Chief Minister said that he will stay with his Hindutva ideology. I want to know whether the new coalition government has the Hindutva ideology in its 'Common Minimum Program' because otherwise, it would be a huge disrespect to it," Nirupam said.
( With inputs from ANI )