NEW DELHI: In a Bollywood-worthy twist to election season drama, Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has labeled the alleged stone attack on ex-Home Minister Anil Deshmukh as pure fiction. Comparing it to a Rajinikanth blockbuster, Fadnavis on Tuesday accused the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) of spinning a sympathy-garnering yarn to distract from what he claims is an inevitable poll defeat.
The incident, which reportedly left Deshmukh with minor head injuries, occurred Monday night while he was returning to Katol from a poll rally in Nagpur. Fadnavis, who also heads the home department, isn’t buying the story.
‘Doesn’t add up’
Fadnavis dismantled the account with a mix of sarcasm and logic. “If a 10-kg stone was hurled at the car, why isn’t the windshield shattered? The bonnet didn’t even have a scratch,” he pointed out.
And the clincher: “If the stone came from behind, how did Deshmukh get injuries on his forehead? This story reads like a Salim-Javed script from the yesteryears.”
‘An MVA conspiracy?’
Taking a dig at the opposition, Fadnavis alleged the incident was part of a larger conspiracy. “This is a fabricated narrative to harm BJP’s reputation and divert attention from the electoral challenges facing Deshmukh’s son,” he said.
Anil Deshmukh’s son, Salil Deshmukh, is locked in a fierce contest against BJP’s Charansingh Thakur in the Katol constituency for the November 20 assembly elections.
Fadnavis also accused NCP leader Sharad Pawar and the MVA “ecosystem” of amplifying the claims to discredit the BJP.
Deshmukh stays mum
Meanwhile, Deshmukh has not publicly commented on Fadnavis’s accusations, leaving political pundits to wonder whether this drama will take another cinematic turn before the polls.
As election fever grips Maharashtra, one thing’s certain—this tale has all the makings of a potboiler, complete with suspense, allegations, and a dash of Rajinikanth flair.