'Join Or Jail': Uddhav Sena's Priyanka Chaturvedi Shares Post 'Exposing Gaddars', Urges Voters To Choose Wisely

"There are those like Waikar who compromised for fear of ED, and then there is Uddhav Sena's Anmol Kirtikar, who stands strong for his party irrespective of ED harassment," Chaturvedi wrote on X.

After Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi trigerred a state political row, following her jibe at the Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and son Shrikant Shinde, saying that the latter has "mera baap gaddar" written on his forehead, she has now shared a post on her social media account where she shared a newspaper clipping of Shiv Sena's Ravindra Waikar, "exposing the gaddars" as he was torn to choose between "join or jail".

Chaturvedi wrote on X, "The Mumbai North West District candidate of the Mahajhoothi alliance, Ravindra Waikar, exposes the gaddars. Hence voters, vote wisely. There are those like Waikar ji, who compromised for fear of ED, and then there is Shiv Sena (UBT)’s candidate Anmol Gajanan Kirtikar, who stands strong for his belief and his party irrespective of ED harassment."

Waikar is said to be a close aide of Uddhav Thackeray and has been a 3-time MLA from Jogeshwari East. In March, he joined CM Eknath Shinde and was named a candidate.

Ravindra Waikar Says Remarks On ED Notice 'Misrepresented': 'Did Not Run Away From Investigation'

Notably, Ravindra Waikar has issued a statement saying that his interview was misrepresented. Ravindra Waikar stated that despite being innocent, he received a notice from the ED. "Upon receiving the notice from the ED, I was afraid. I hoped that Uddhav Thackeray would help me in this difficult time... But Uddhav Thackeray said to me, "You have to face what is happening yourself..." he remarked.

"I did not run away from the ED investigation... I faced the interrogation... I had three meetings with the Chief Minister regarding this matter... I explained the whole issue to him... He listened and spoke to the relevant officials... and gathered information about the matter... This gave me peace of mind... My depression eased a bit... I believed that the CM and the party were behind me," he added.

He further contrasted Eknath's support with the lack of from Uddhav Thackeray saying, "This was not the case with Uddhav Thackeray... There was no party backing me... Understanding all this, I joined Shiv Sena (Shinde faction)."

In the article, Waikar, Shiv Sena's candidate from Mumbai North West, had shared how he had two options--either go to jail or approach another party to explain his stand after coming under the lens of the Enforcement Directorate.

"It was either meet the fate of others like Suraj Chavan, UBT Sena functionary, who was arrested in Khichdi scam, and land up in jail or put forward my side to another party," Waikar said.

Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Anmol Gajanan Kirtikar, who is party's candidate from Mumbai North West Lok Sabha constituency, was also summoned by ED, just hours after he filed his Lok Sabha nomination.

The probe agency summoned him for questioning in connection with the COVID Khichdi scam. His name surfaced in the probe in September 2023, after which he was questioned by the Economic Offences Wing officials for six hours. In October 2023, a money laundering case was registered against him by ED under Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

ED also arrested Suraj Chavan, a close aide of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aditya Thackeray in connection with the same case.