Sharad Pawar and Raj Thackeray are hand in glove: BJP

The BJP alleged that there was a tacit understanding between NCP supremo Sharad Pawar and MNS chief Raj Thackeray.

Thackeray is holding rallies across Maharashtra, 'fact-checking' Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speeches and his government's claims, and asking people not to vote for the BJP.

State minister and senior BJP leader Vinod Tawde said it was obvious whose "script" Raj Thackeray's had adopted.

"Pawar and Thackeray have addressed public rallies at different places, but their language is same. Pawar said the Modi government and BJP are heading for dictatorship. The same was repeated by Raj Thackeray," Tawde said here.

While Pawar said Modi was seeking votes in the name of martyrs, the MNS president made the same allegation, he added.

"People now know on whose script Raj Thackeray is working," the BJP leader said.

Tawde also slammed the MNS chief for bringing Monica More, a railway accident victim, on stage at his rally in suburban Bhandup.

"When Monica met with accident, the Congress was in power. But it didn't do anything for her. BJP MP Kirit Somaiya provided help to Monica," Tawde said.

Instead of questioning the Congress and NCP, Thackeray was now posing questions to Somaiya, he said.

Tawde also claimed that Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman was released by Pakistan due to the international pressure created by the Modi government.

"If Pawar is claiming Abhinandan was released due to the Geneva convention, why Kulbhushan Jadhav (former Indian Navy officer who is in Pakistan's custody for alleged espionage) was not released? Pawar should admit that Abhinandan was released due to the Modi government's efforts," he added.