“Received Love Letter”: Sharad Pawar’s Swipe At Centre On Tax Notice

Sharad Pawar, the chief of the Nationalist Congress Party, on Thursday tweeted to say that he has received notice from the Income Tax department.

The “love letter” is with regard to the affidavits filed during the 2004, 2009, 2014 and 2020 elections, he said, adding that he is not worried about giving information.

Mr Pawar reported about the development on the day Shiv Sena rebel leader Eknath Shinde took oath as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, as the BJP capped the coup that unseated the 31-month old Uddhav Thackeray government that included Mr Pawar’s party and the Congress.

“I have received a love letter, a love letter from the income tax relating to poll affidavits filed in 2004, 2009, 2014 and 2020.” Mr Pawar tweeted.

Taking a swipe at the BJP-ruled Central government, the veteran politician, in a follow-up tweet, said that the agency was “gathering information on certain people”.

“There has been a qualitative increase in the efficiency of this department. Focusing on gathering information for so many years, and gathering information from certain people, seems to be a strategic shift,” Mr Pawar’s tweet roughly translated from Marathi read.

Mr Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party — part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi — lost power Wednesday as Uddhav Thackeray stepped down from the top post.

Mr Thackeray’s resignation came days after Mr Shinde led a rebellion with at least 39 Shiv Sena MLAs, alleging that Mr Thakeray ignored Shiv Sena MLAs demand that the alliance with Congress and NCP should be ended.

Mr Pawar, however, rejected rebel Sena MLAs’ claims as “baseless”.

“This allegation is baseless. It has no connection with NCP and Congress. Something has to be told to people (as an excuse), which is why NCP and Congress are being blamed,” he said.