Thorve hits back at Tatkare father and son over liquor factory charge, dares them to resign

The war of words between Karjat MLA Mahendra Thorve and the Tatkare family has intensified. Thorve had alleged yesterday that Aniket Tatkare owns a liquor factory in Khalapur tehsil. Aniket Tatkare then said that Thorve comes sometimes on a horse and sometimes on a donkey. To reply to this, Thorve called a press conference at his residence.

At the press conference, Thorve launched a sharp attack on Sunil Tatkare and Aniket Tatkare. He said he stays on a horse because "your father changes colour like a chameleon", and that is why father and son should be spoken to in this very language.

Thorve went on to say, "We obeyed the party's order, and that is why you became an MLA." According to him, Aniket Tatkare was not elected to the Legislative Council on the strength of his own work or his father's, but became an MLA because of the Shiv Sena party. Thorve said that if he has so much itch after becoming an MLA, he should resign. He said he would field his son against Aniket, and then the truth would come out. After issuing this challenge, Thorve also said that Sunil Tatkare had become helpless to get himself made an MLA.

Thorve also recounted an old incident. He said he must have received 25 calls at that time, asking him to withdraw Mahendra Dalvi's daughter's form.

On development, Thorve said he is among those who give priority to development and that he tries to ensure development work in his constituency. For this reason, he said, he backed a project like Torrent when it was coming. He told the Nationalist Congress Party that if it wants to oppose, it should step out of power and keep opposing Torrent.

There is a company called Rocking Bombay in the Chilthan gram panchayat of Khalapur tehsil. Thorve said the company is describing itself as an ethanol maker. According to him, ethanol is used in making liquor, and the health of the constituency's people is being put at risk by opening a polluting company in a residential area. Thorve told Tatkare that if he wants to set up this project, he should take it to his own constituency. He also said he would bring out the real purpose of the liquor-making company. Thorve demanded that the Pollution Control Board state what the ethanol made at that company will be used for.

Thorve accused Sunil Tatkare of being expert at preparing false and fabricated documents and of throwing dust in the public's eyes. Thorve said he would get to the bottom of the matter. He warned openly that he would not let the health of his constituency's people be harmed.

The dispute has arisen at a time when Thorve had already drawn attention after backing the Torrent project of the Nationalist Congress Party. He had then said openly that the Nationalist Congress Party should leave. Now, after Aniket Tatkare's side made the charge about opening a liquor factory, political firecrackers have begun to go off just before Diwali.