Hooch tragedy: Opposition fires gun at CM Fadnavis from Excise Minister Khadse's shoulder

Mumbai: Senior BJP leader and Maharashtra Excise Minister Eknath Khadse, who is not on good terms with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, on Wednesday sought to shift the blame of the worst hooch tragedy, which has claimed over 100 lives, on his arch rival. Khadse, who heads another key portfolio of Revenue, told reporters here that only after he “apprised” the Leader of Opposition Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil about the situation concerning the incident that the latter started demanding Fadnavis’ resignation. [caption id=“attachment_2309100” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis. PTI[/caption] The worst hooch tragedy to have struck Mumbai has claimed lives of 102 people while 40 others still continue to be in hospitals after they consumed the deadly concoction in Malwani area last Wednesday. “Initially, Vikhe Patil was demanding my resignation over the spurious liquor incident. However, after I spoke to him and apprised him about the situation and cleared his misunderstanding that he started demanding CM’s resignation,” Khadse said. He was replying to a query on Patil’s demand for his resignation. The cold war between Khadse and Fadnavis is the topic of intense political discussion in the state. The duo were earlier involved in a tug-of-war over transfer of bureaucrats. They had also contradicted each other on the issue of handing over of land in Aarey Colony area here to the civic planning authority MMRDA for metro car-shed. However, both the leaders have always maintained that they enjoy a good rapport and have rubbished reports of differences. Patil had recently demanded that initiation of action only against Excise department officials and the police is not enough and that Khadse should step down from his post on moral grounds. Police have so far arrested eight persons, including the kingpin Mansoor Ali alias Atiq who is suspected to have supplied the deadly concoction, in the case. As part of the investigation, eight personnel attached to Malwani police station were suspended, besides four Excise officials for their alleged negligence/connivance. PTI