'Narendra Modi is the biggest sardar of...': Maharashtra Congress chief targets Amit Shah after latter accuses Sharad Pawar of 'institutionalising corruption'

Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole responded to Union Home Minister Amit Shah's comment about NCP chief Sharad Pawar by calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi "the biggest sardar (kingpin) of corruption" on Monday.

"In 2014, Sharad Pawar was conferred with Padma Vibhushan by the NDA government itself, and now they are calling him the sardar of corruption. The biggest sardar of corruption is Modi himself," Nana Patole said.

On Sunday, Shah accused Sharad Pawar of "institutionalising corruption" and labeled him as the mastermind of corruption in Indian politics.

"They (the opposition) are speaking about corruption. The biggest mastermind of corruption in Indian politics is Sharad Pawar and I have no confusion in that. What will they accuse us of now? If somebody has done the job of institutionalising corruption, Sharad Pawar, it is you. And you are accusing us of corruption?" he said.

Patole said the BJP is worried about losing power in Maharashtra. He also asked why the government hasn't given reservation benefits to Marathas.

"Before losing power, they were harassing Marathas. Electing 105 MLAs to BJP now seems like a mistake to the people of Maharashtra. Despite BJP being in power both in the state and at the centre, why are they not giving reservations to Marathas?."

He claimed that land worth billions is being taken over by BJP leaders. He also suggested that major projects are being moved from Maharashtra to Gujarat.

Shah also criticized Uddhav Thackeray, calling him the leader of the "Aurangzeb Fan Club" and accusing him of dining with people connected to Kasab.

Reacting to the jibe, Nana Patole said, "Everyone knows that they gave a ticket to Ujjwal Nikam. Whatever miracle happened that night, only Ujjwal Nikam can tell. Was he working for the government or the BJP? Government lawyers should be impartial, not for any party. Ujjwal Nikam has contested the Lok Sabha elections, so now it is becoming clear what his real face is."

Amit Shah accused Uddhav Thackeray of supporting the PFI and opposing the renaming of Aurangabad to Sambhaji Nagar. Shah also claimed Thackeray dines with people linked to Kasab.