Mumbai: Ravindra WaikaShinde Sena, the Lok Sabha candidate from North-West constituency, stated that he had a choice of either facing imprisonment or going to another party to clarify his position if he is found guilty by any means through legal sanctions other than the law enforcement agency and EOW lens in January this year. Before being named as the candidate for North West party, Waika who was Uddhav Thackeray’s close confidant and three times Jogeswhari East MP joined Eknath Shinde.
“Instead, I will end up in jail with people like Chavan (Suraj Chavan, a Sena UBT official who was arrested in the khichadi scam) or I will take my stance in another political organization,” said Vaika at a press conference on Friday. “He revealed that he approached Thackeray 3 times for assistance when summoned by Education and Culture department but did not receive support.”
“I suggested that we could approach higher authorities including Narendra Modi the Prime Minister so that they may see how unfair it was. But Uddhav said he could do nothing about it. He continued saying whatever happens I have to face it alone,” added Waika “Yes”. “However, institutions are what I faced. It is simply unbelievable but my party leader wasn’t behind me,” the 65-year-old sena leader explain.
In January, ED questioned him before arresting him for money laundering case of Rs 500 crore related to construction of luxurious hotel in Jogeshwari which violated BMC agreement according to him. When contacted recently by Maharashtra Times, Waikkal responded: ‘I had only two options after being falsely implicated either go to jail or change the party… Reluctantly I left my beloved position…When even my wife’s name gets involved (in this case), there is no alternative…”
Waika first called out CM Shinde after Uddhav’s refusal to back his concerns, he said CM Shinde listened to him carefully and asked questions relating to the behavior of various agencies. “He invited the officials called and asked why it was happening,” said Waika. By the time Wykal had the support of Shinde, all those fears and worries that surrounded him about those questions and allegations were gone.
Though Waika accepts anything but smooth relationship with Hind at times, they have been able to resolve their differences through a series of meetings and productive discussions on agenda. “We all have our own priorities which are also many that we should address,” Waika said. Vaika discarded the notion of “real” versus “fake” Sena taking into consideration his earlier electoral contests under RDD (Bow & Arrow) symbol as well as current political situations within this party.
“I am going for election without any force or pressure; with a belief that people on the street want Modiji to win for third time,” he stated.
