MUMBAI: The political fight between the BJP and Shiv Sena has turned bitter with member of Parliament Kirit Somaiya daring Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray to explain his links with seven “tainted” companies.
Somaiya issued a statement on his letterhead, claiming that these companies are bogus and dared Thackeray to disclose his financial deals.According to Somaiya, two of these companies are into money-laundering while Sebi had issued prohibitory orders against two others.
Shiv Sena leader Anil Pa rab refused to respond to the allegation. All he said was: “The party will issue an official statement on Tuesday .”
Sena is an ally of the BJP at the state and the Centre. The two parties also had an alliance in the BMC for two decades where the Shiv Sena was the senior partner. Now, the two parties are contesting the polls separately after seat-sharing talks failed. Since then, leaders of the two parties have been attacking each other, and the Shiv Sena had even threatened to withdraw support to the state government.
Recently , Sena leaders had alleged that Somaiya wanted the Mulund dumping ground cleared to favour a developer and also claimed that BJP leaders were awarding a contract of closure of another dumping ground to a “controversial” persons associated with the BJP . Somaiya had denied the allegation and sharpened his attack with documents he procured from various sources.
“I am declaring that I was never involved in money-laundering. At the same time, I dare Uddhav Thackeray to disclose his financial transactions with seven bogus companies that are involved in money-laundering,” he said. “Money generated in the civic body trough corruption was routed to `BMC mafia’ through these bogus companies. Two of these were used by Chhagan Bhujbal to launder money in the Maharashtra Sadan scam.”