Cops pressured dozen+ MLAs to back BJP: NCP | Economic Times

A day after minister of state for health Rajendra Patil Yadrawkar claimed that former state intelligence commissioner Rashmi Shukla had tried to influence him to support the BJP after the 2019 assembly elections, two senior NCP cabinet ministers told that a section of police officers had approached over a dozen legislators, independents as well as those from smaller parties, at that time to help BJP's Devendra Fadnavis form the government.The Maha Vikas Aghadi has accused Shukla, whose secret report of August 2020 on the alleged police transfers racket was submitted by Fadnavis to the Union home secretary on Tuesday, of "working for BJP." State chief secretary Sitaram Kunte in his report to CM Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday, accused Shukla of "misusing permission given to tap phones for political reasons."IPS officer Shukla was state intel chief at the time of the 2019 elections. Last year she opted for Central deputation and is now with CRPF, Hyderabad. The NCP cabinet members alleged they knew police officers were approaching legislators and had brought the matter to the notice of NCP president Sharad Pawar at that time.Yadrawkar, elected to the legislative assembly from Shirol in Kolhapur district, was initially with the NCP. However, as part of the seat-sharing formula for the assembly polls, Shirol was allotted to ally Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana, following which he quit the NCP and contested as an independent candidate.He told TOI, "Rashmi Shukla spoke to me and invited me to her office for a cup of tea. Since I was independent legislator, her contention was that I should join BJP for better prospects. She mentioned I would be prosperous and my life would be hassle-free. I did not meet her, but my nominee called on her, and I rejected the proposal. I told her I was not interested in any post but would abide by the wishes of my voters. As an independent candidate, I was elected by a record margin of 30,000 votes. My voters felt I should join Shiv Sena, so I joined Sena."NCP spokesperson and skill development minister Nawab Malik told TOI that after the Yadrawkar episode, NCP had alerted most of its senior members that BJP may try to lure pro-NCP legislators. “It was likely that BJP would knock at the doors of independent legislators. We spoke to Yadrawkar and most independent legislators and they extended support to MVA,” he said.An NCP minister, on the condition of anonymity, said,“ It is unfortunate that high-ranking IPS officers had joined hands with Fadnavis for government formation. Now all pro-Fadnavis IPS officers and bureaucrats have been exposed.”