The Congress has made another jibe at the BJP, calling it a "washing machine" that uses central investigating agencies as "detergents". Referring to the rebellion by NCP leader Ajit Pawar, Congress's Jairam Ramesh tweeted: "Yesterday when the BJP Washing Machine restarted in Mumbai with its ICE (Incometax, CBI, ED) detergent, BJP-inspired obituaries on Opposition unity were being planted. The obit writers will be disappointed. The next meeting of the parties that met at Patna on June 23rd will be held in Bengaluru on July 17th & 18th. If anything the Mumbai operations have strengthened Opposition resolve. [sic]"
In March, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee took a similar dig at the BJP and held a 'washing machine protest'. At that protest, Banerjee was seen putting in a black cloth into a model of a washing machine and pulling out a white cloth as her supporters shouted slogans of "washing machine BhajJaPa [BJP]".
Jairam Ramesh posted the tweet with the photo of what seemed to be the packet of a popular detergent powder. But the print read: 'Modi Washing Powder... saare daag chutkiyon mein dhule (cleans all spots in seconds)'.
Ajit Pawar's rebellion on Sunday sparked the speculation of the ED being used to pressure NCP MLAs into joining the Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis government. Five of the ministers who took oath on Sunday, including Ajit Pawar, are under investigation in various money laundering cases. The others are Chhaggan Bhujbal, Hasan Mushrif, Praful Patel, and Dhananjay Munde. The Congress's jibe at the BJP seems to be indicating this fact.
Ajit Pawar sprung a surprise on the Maha Vikas Aghadi on Sunday when he reached Raj Bhavan to take oath as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra. NCP chief Sharad Pawar said that he was unaware of his nephew's plan and asserted that MLAs may leave NCP, but the party command remained with him. Ajit Pawar, however, claimed that he now commanded the "real NCP" as he had the support of 40 out of the 53 party MLAs and six of the nine MLCs.
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Pawar's move has sent the Opposition in a huddle ahead of the "unity meeting" in Bengaluru on July 17. If Ajit Pawar's claim holds good, the Opposition could be looking at a major crisis ahead of the Lok Sabha polls and the Maharashtra Assembly election next year. Since Maharashtra sends the most number of MPs to Lok Sabha after UP, it is imperative for the Opposition that the party run by the 'Bheeshma Pitamaha' of Maharashtra politics recovers from the shock immediately. On the Other hand, the BJP would do well to keep its shields up as Sharad Pawar is known to make strong comebacks from tight situations.