BJP is 'washing machine' which people facing graft charges can join and become clean: Sharad Pawar

He accused the Centre of targeting the chief ministers of non BJP-ruled states

NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Thursday took a swipe at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying it has become a "washing machine", which the people facing corruption charges can join to "get clean".

He accused the Centre of targeting the chief ministers of non BJP-ruled states, including former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal.

Mr. Pawar also hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over various issues, including his criticism of the country's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

Addressing a convention of the workers of his Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) at Lonavala in Pune district, Mr. Pawar said, "PM Narendra Modi, while talking about corruption, used to criticise the undivided NCP. In Parliament, a booklet was given to everyone which said what irregularities occurred when the BJP was not in power." "The booklet mentioned the Adarsh scam and the alleged involvement of Ashok Chavan in the scam. But on the seventh day, Chavan joined the BJP and became its Rajya Sabha member...So on the one hand, you (BJP) make allegations, while on the other, you induct that person into your party," he said.

Earlier, PM Modi talked about the "corrupt" people in the NCP.

"He talked about an irrigation scam worth ₹70,000 crore in Maharashtra. He also talked about irregularities in the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank. I had then said that nobody from the NCP was involved in any irregularities in MSC Bank and dared them to conduct an inquiry by appointing a Supreme Court judge. Now see where that person is today against whom the allegations were made in this scam," he said without mentioning Deputy CM Ajit Pawar's name.

"All this shows that the BJP has become a washing machine, which those who are facing allegations of corruption can join and get clean," the former Union minister alleged.