Political News: ‘No inquiries if in BJP’ remark misinterpreted, says Patil

A BJP leader in Maharashtra who said he is getting “sound sleep” since he joined the saffron party because there are no “inquiries” as explained that he was “misinterpreted”.

Harshavardhan Patil, a former MLA from Indapur in the Pune district, had quit Congress and switched over to the BJP before the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly polls.

“We too had to go to BJP. He (referring to someone from the Opposition sitting next to him on stage) asked why did I join the BJP. I told him to ask his leader why I went to BJP. ….Everything is easy-going and peaceful (in BJP). I get sound sleep as there are no inquiries,” PTI quoted him as saying at an event in Maval in Pune district.

The remark came on Wednesday, the day CP chief Sharad Pawar alleged the misuse of the Central agencies like the CBI, ED, and NCB to target the Opposition.

A day later, as his comment went viral, Patil was quoted as “clarifying” he did not mean that being in the BJP was the way to keep safe from central agencies.

He said he didn’t specifically mention anybody, NDTV reported, and that he joined the BJP because he was denied a ticket that was promised to him.