Congress Party Faces Leadership Crisis as Fadnavis Alleges Internal Movement to Remove Rahul Gandhi Nagpur, India — Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis sparked controversy on Sunday by asserting that a growing faction within the Congress party is pushing to oust Rahul Gandhi from his leadership role. Speaking at a public event in Nagpur, Fadnavis accused Gandhi of using rhetoric to deflect from the party’s electoral struggles, claiming his recent statements were attempts to shift focus from internal dissent. Fadnavis argued that Gandhi’s public criticism of the BJP-RSS ideology was not a genuine political stance but a strategy to avoid accountability for the Congress’s repeated electoral defeats. “Rahul Gandhi’s fight is merely superficial,” Fadnavis said. “His struggle is about shielding himself from the continuous losses he has faced. Within the Congress, there is a growing sentiment that he is incapable of leading the party to victory, so he should be removed.” Fadnavis further suggested that Gandhi’s remarks were designed to divert attention from the “atmosphere” of discontent within the party. Senior Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar dismissed Fadnavis’s claims as baseless, accusing him of fabricating the narrative. Wadettiwar stated, “BJP can say anything they want, but even they know there is no truth in it. If Rahul ji started giving hate speeches, dividing people on the basis of religion and caste, then Congress would have a 100% electoral strike rate. If Congress started stealing votes, deleting names through Special Intensive Review (SIR), then we would have won every election.” Wadettiwar emphasized that Gandhi’s leadership was rooted in adherence to constitutional principles, which the BJP feared.#rahul_gandhi #devendra_fadnavis #congress_party #vijay_wadettiwar #maratha_agitation
‘Epstein-like end feared’: Congress claims ‘pen drive bombshell’ in Nashik astrologer Ashok Kharat's case Amid widespread public outrage over the rape-accused astrologer Ashok Kharat case in Maharashtra, a heated political clash erupted on Sunday between Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar and Maharashtra revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule. Wadettiwar raised concerns that Kharat’s life could be endangered while in custody, drawing parallels to the 2024 Badlapur case in which a rape accused was killed during a police encounter. He warned that similar attempts to silence Kharat could occur to suppress evidence, citing past instances where individuals linked to powerful figures were allegedly protected. Wadettiwar also invoked the case of disgraced US financier Jeffrey Epstein, who died under mysterious circumstances in jail while facing sex trafficking charges, to underscore his fears that Kharat’s case could end in a similar fashion. Wadettiwar’s remarks followed claims by former minister Deepak Kesarkar that 39 state legislators had visited Kharat, prompting the Congress leader to demand action against those allegedly involved. He called for the names of individuals who supported or promoted Kharat, encouraged blind faith in him, or treated him as a deity to be publicly disclosed and booked under anti-superstition laws. He further alleged that a pen drive linked to the case contained information that could expose influential figures and trigger a “political earthquake” in Maharashtra. “If all that is on that pen drive is revealed, the Maharashtra government will land in serious trouble,” Wadettiwar said, warning that the contents could lead to the exposure of high-profile individuals tied to Kharat’s activities.#maharashtra #jeffrey_epstein #vijay_wadettiwar #ashok_kharat #chandrashekhar_bawankule
Farmers Blocking Access Roads To Lose Govt Benefits, Warns Bawankule Revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule announced on Friday that farmers who block farm access roads will lose eligibility for government welfare schemes, as part of efforts to address encroachments and irregularities in land administration. Speaking to the media in Nagpur, the minister stated that individuals obstructing or damaging farm and access roads will have their Aadhaar-linked identification and farmer IDs blocked for five years. This measure follows directives from Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis under the Mukhyamantri Baliraja Farm Road Scheme, aimed at improving rural connectivity. Officials emphasized that the policy seeks to ensure uninterrupted access to agricultural land, a critical issue in several districts. Under the new framework, tehsildars will issue notices to individuals encroaching on roads mapped in village records or located on government land, giving violators seven days to remove obstructions. Failure to comply will result in forcible removal by authorities. Bawankule addressed concerns about infrastructure projects disrupting traditional farm access routes, stating the government will provide alternative service roads under right-of-way provisions. "Farmers' right of access to their land will be protected," he added. Responding to allegations by Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar against NCP ministers, Bawankule urged restraint, asserting the inquiry was conducted fairly. He noted that decisions regarding figures like NCP minister Narhari Zirwal or political leaders would be handled by their respective parties.#nagpur #devendra_fadnavis #vijay_wadettiwar #chandrashekhar_bawankule #mukhyamantri_baliraja_farm_road_scheme
Senior Congress Leader Accuses RTO Officials of Running Extortion Racket in Vidarbha Nagpur: Senior Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar on Thursday accused the Regional Transport Office (RTO) system in Vidarbha of harboring a well-organized extortion network, claiming that even a senior Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) officer is complicit in enabling illegal collections and shielding offenders. Speaking to the media in Nagpur, Wadettiwar alleged that retired deputy RTO officials and those in Akola are part of a system that routinely extracts money from truck operators, vehicle owners, and transporters. He claimed that overloaded vehicles are allowed to operate after payments are funneled through intermediaries. The Congress legislative party leader further stated that an additional SP-rank ACB officer is allegedly protecting the racket by alerting those involved ahead of trap operations. According to Wadettiwar, the officer, who has been posted in the bureau for nearly a decade, receives complaints and passes them on to individuals under scrutiny. He argued that this system undermines enforcement and allows illegal practices to persist unchecked. Wadettiwar questioned a recent trap operation conducted on March 23, calling it "fabricated" and based on a false complaint by a truck driver who had not traveled on the route where the alleged demand was made. He emphasized that refusal to pay results in organized traps, while payment leads to advance alerts and the perpetrators’ escape. The allegations highlight concerns about corruption within the RTO system, which is responsible for regulating road transport and ensuring compliance with safety and licensing standards.#vijay_wadettiwar #vidarbha #rto #anti_corruption_bureau #acb
Political Shield for Teak Smugglers? Row Erupts in Maharashtra Assembly A heated debate unfolded in the Maharashtra Assembly as leaders accused political figures of shielding organized teak wood smuggling gangs. During a Question Hour session, Vijay Wadettiwar, the leader of the Congress Legislature Party, alleged that local leaders were interfering with forest officials to protect smugglers. He cited a recent incident in Chandrapur where a junior forest officer seized two tractors carrying teak wood. However, the officer was reportedly forced to release the vehicles after a local leader allegedly stormed the office and verbally abused the staff. Wadettiwar condemned the interference, calling it a direct threat to law enforcement. He urged the government to equip forest personnel with weapons for self-defense and proposed analyzing call detail records (CDRs) of the accused and their associates to uncover a broader smuggling network. Responding to the allegations, forest minister Ganesh Naik assured the assembly that a thorough investigation would be launched. He stated that officials who compromised their duties by releasing the accused would face strict disciplinary action. Naik emphasized that CCTV footage from the area and CDRs of the involved parties would be scrutinized to trace the smuggling network. He vowed to dismantle any organized gang or criminal syndicate found to be involved in the illegal activity. The minister’s comments came amid growing concerns over the scale of teak smuggling, which has been a persistent issue in the state. The incident has sparked a wider discussion about the role of local leaders in enabling illegal activities. Critics argue that political interference undermines environmental protection efforts and fuels corruption.#vijay_wadettiwar #chandrapur #maharashtra_assembly #ganesh_nai #teak_smuggling
68 out of 82 irrigation projects in Vidarbha incomplete: Min Nagpur: Out of 82 irrigation projects in Vidarbha, a few of which started over a decade ago, 68 remain incomplete, with their revised combined cost rising to Rs1.42 lakh crore. Only slightly more than half of the planned irrigation potential has been achieved so far, Maharashtra legislative assembly was informed in a written reply on Friday. The issue was raised by MLAs Vijay Wadettiwar, Rohit Pawar, Bhaskar Jadhav, and Vishwajeet Kadam. In his response, water resources minister Girish Mahajan said 14 of the 82 projects had been completed, while the remaining 68 are at different stages of implementation. Mahajan stated that as of March 2025, around Rs57,000 crore had been spent on the 68 ongoing projects. These projects aim to create irrigation potential for 14.56 lakh hectares. However, only 7.36 lakh hectares of irrigation capacity had been developed by June 2025, leaving more than 7.20 lakh hectares yet to be achieved. Regarding Vidarbha's total irrigation backlog of 7,84,720 hectares, Mahajan said 7,41,185 hectares (94%) had been cleared by June 2025. Nevertheless, Akola and Buldhana districts still account for a remaining backlog of 43,535 hectares. Eight projects are facing specific hurdles. Three projects—Human river in Chandrapur, Tultuli, and Chenna (a tributary of Godavari river) in Gadchiroli—are awaiting forest clearance. Meanwhile, Karwafa in Gadchiroli and four other projects have been delayed due to pending land acquisition. Mahajan mentioned that the proposal for forest clearance for the Human river major project has been submitted to the forest department, while the proposal for Chenna is currently being prepared.#maharashtra_legislative_assembly #vijay_wadettiwar #rohit_pawar #bhaskar_jadhav #vishwajeet_kadam
