Srikant Shinde mocks Rs 500 crore claim: the money never reached me

An audio clip released by Manoj Jarange Patil has stirred Maharashtra politics. The clip claims that Rs 500 crore was taken on behalf of the BJP, through Shrikant Shinde, to manage Jarange Patil. A tussle has since begun between the BJP and the Shinde faction of the Shiv Sena.

Leaders of the Shinde faction and the BJP are trading barbs, and the dispute appears likely to escalate. Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde has now spoken on the matter. He broke his silence after three full days and responded in a light-hearted tone.

Speaking to the media, Shinde made fun of the alleged transaction. He said, "The question troubling Manoj Jarange Patil is troubling me too. Rs 500 crore went to someone, but how did it not reach me?"

He added, "We are also discussing how many vehicles it would take to carry such a large sum together. It should be found out who actually took the money. If you find out anything, tell me, and if I find out, I will tell you." He thus took aim in a jocular manner.

The question now is what Jarange actually claimed. Manoj Jarange played an audio clip of a conversation between some people. The clip mentions the BJP paying Rs 500 crore and the money being used to manage Jarange. According to Jarange, the money was given to Eknath Shinde, who passed it on to Shrikant Shinde.

Jarange appealed to Eknath Shinde to give a clear reply to the claim. He also asked whose political game the BJP was playing.

The Shinde faction has taken the matter seriously. It has emerged that an inquiry has been ordered after a meeting with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

All eyes are now on the truth of the alleged audio clip, the context of the conversation in it, and how much substance there is in the Rs 500 crore claim. What the real inquiry yields amid this storm of charges and counter-charges will matter most.