Shiv Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik in a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has asked him to align the party with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to save the party members from being harassed by central investigation agencies.

Pratap Sarnaik wrote, “My personal opinion is that it is better to be aligned with Narendra Modiji. Many activists feel that this will at least stop the unnecessary harassment of Pratap Saranaik, Anil Parab, Ravindra Vaikar and their colleagues and their families. We are being harassed unnecessarily by the Central Investigation Agencies when there is no crime or wrongdoing. Bail was granted in one case, then immediately and deliberately involved in another case.”

He added, “I think the archer should fight like Arjuna, rather than fighting like Abhimanyu.”

Notably, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is investigating a case against MLA Pratap Sarnaik and his family.

In November last year, the ED officials conducted raids at offices and residence of Sarnaik in connection with the case registered with Tops Grup case. Sarnaik was questioned on December 10 and was summoned twice after that but he failed to appear citing health reasons.

In January, the ED took into possession 112 plots belonging to a firm owned by Pratap Sarnaik in connection with the National Spot Exchange Limited (NSEL) scam worth Rs 5600 crore.

Sarnaik in his letter to the Maharashta chief minister said, “I have been fighting my legal battle with my family for the last 7 months without bothering anyone. Next year there are elections for Mumbai, Thane and other Municipal Corporations. Although our (BJP and Shiv Sena) alliance has broken down in the state, the personal ties of the alliance leaders remain intact among many leaders. It will be better to adjust it immediately.”

Pratap Sarnaik in his letter said that in the coming BMC and Thane municipal corporation elections, it will be good for Shiv Sena if they form an alliance with the BJP.

Reacting to Pratap Sarnaik’s letter, Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut said that the letter raised an important issue of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) MLAs being harassed in the state.

‘MVA alliance to make NCP, Congress bigger’

MLA Pratap Sarnaik also said that it seemed as if the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance was formed only to make the NCP and the Congress bigger.

Targeting Congress and NCP, MLA Pratap Sarnaik in the letter said, “Congress-NCP MLAs get their work done immediately, but Shiv Sena MLAs do not get their jobs done despite being the Chief Minister”.

He further added, “In a special situation, Mahavikas Alliance was formed in the state. Did the party form the “Mahavikas Aghadi” to make the Congress-NCP bigger? There is such a discussion. Being together with NCP and Congress, they are making their party bigger and weakening our Shiv Sena.”