Mumbai : Shiv Sena leader Shaina NC on Saturday questioned the allegations of phone tapping made by Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, asking why Prime Minister Narendra Modi would be interested in tapping his phone. Congress leaders hit back at the BJP and defended LoP Gandhi’s allegations. Speaking to Media, Shaina NC said, “Why would PM Modi tap Rahul Gandhi’s phone? Tell me, is he a secret agent? Does he have any secret information? If you want to make allegations, you must come out of Modi phobia. Only then will you understand.” She further criticised LoP Rahul Gandhi, alleging that he lacked a vision and a concrete plan and repeatedly invoked the Prime Minister’s name to portray him negatively. “You have repeated Modi ji’s name so much, morning and evening, that you have portrayed him as a villain. In fact, he is a hero. You should look for someone else to portray as a villain,” she said.

Meanwhile, Congress leaders defended LoP Rahul Gandhi’s allegations and accused the BJP-led government of using agencies to target political opponents and undermine the federal structure. Congress MP Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy said LoP Rahul Gandhi’s allegations reflected the way the Central government was functioning and alleged that the BJP wanted to weaken regional parties and consolidate political power. “Rahul ji’s allegation on phone tapping is clearly showing us how the Modi government is acting. They want to destabilise the federal structure and regional parties. They want a ‘One Nation, One Party, Double Engine Sarkar’. All these things are in their interest to remain in power for a long time, and they are using all the agencies, which we can clearly see,” he said.

Referring to Telangana’s political history, Reddy alleged that former Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao had also resorted to phone tapping during his tenure to prevent the Congress from coming to power. “As LoP Rahul Gandhi rightly said, they are using everything for the sake of staying in power,” he added. Congress leader and AICC in-charge for Telangana, Sachin Sawant, also criticised the BJP, alleging that phone tapping, gathering Intelligence on individuals and blackmailing them had become part of its political modus operandi. “This has been the attitude and policy of the Bharatiya Janata Party. This is how the Constitution and democracy of this country have been put in danger,” he said. Referring to Maharashtra, Sawant alleged that the phones of several political leaders had been tapped in the state, describing it as a major scandal. “So, what is new about this? This is Modi ji’s gift to this country,” he added.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader, Chhagan Bhujbal, on Friday in his statement regarding ongoing speculation about a potential merger between the two factions of the party, said that it remains unclear what the opposing faction actually wants, stressing that any decision on a merger must be taken collectively rather than individually.

He also clarified that his recent meetings with NCP(SP) chief, Sharad Pawar, were purely personal and devoid of political discussions, while acknowledging that a reunion of the two Pawar factions would bring happiness to veteran party workers.

Addressing the rumours, Minister Bhujbal stated, “All leaders of our party will sit together and take a decision. We still haven’t understood what they (the other faction) want. When we think about it, how is this going to work? Is everyone going to join the NDA? Or is everyone going to join the INDIA Bloc? There is no clarity on this yet.”

Referring to Sunetra Pawar’s recent remarks that things about the merger will be known when the time comes, Minister Bhujbal expressed confidence that she would take everyone into confidence and inform them when the right time comes.

His direct comments have further fuelled indications that behind-the-scenes discussions regarding a merger may indeed be underway.

Minister Bhujbal claimed that merger talks had previously taken place in his presence between the late Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and Jayant Patil the then state president of the NCP(SP). He stated that this discussion lasted over 45 minutes, bringing to light that the issue of merging the two NCP factions is not recent and had been discussed earlier as well.

Minister Bhujbal said that after he underwent surgery, Ajit Pawar had come to visit him, and Jayant Patil had also arrived at the same time. “During the conversation, I put forward the stance that both NCP factions should come together. I told him that Ajit Pawar was providing good leadership and, therefore, they should unite.

“During this discussion, Jayant Patil raised a question about coming together, asking whether their alliance partners would accept it, given that Ajit Pawar’s faction is currently in power with the NDA.

“I clarified by saying that Ajit Pawar is the party president and will make a decision on this, while Sharad Pawar is the founding president of the party, so discussions can take place regarding this,” he added.

He, however, noted that nothing materialised after that meeting.

Criticising the fragmented nature of the current speculation, Minister Bhujbal used a cricket analogy to urge a unified approach.

“We are also hearing discussions about a merger. Right now, a ‘merger-merger’ game is going on. If a merger has to happen, both sides must play as a team. One player goes, the entire team is on the other side, some discussion happens, and then they come back home—that won’t work. Play together. Put an arm around each other’s shoulders and decide collectively,” he said.

He added that concrete proposals had not reached him yet and that he, too, was following the developments and media conclusions on television.

Commenting on reports of MLAs from the Ajit Pawar faction meeting Sharad Pawar, he confirmed that he had also visited the senior leader at the hospital and at his residence.

“Going to enquire about his health is not wrong. There are two leaders in my life. Balasaheb Thackeray and Sharad Pawar. Both are my mentors. Unfortunately, Balasaheb is no longer with us. Today, Sharad Pawar’s party is different, and I am in a different party, while the rest are my colleagues,” he clarified. He maintained that no merger talks took place during his visits.

Praising Sharad Pawar’s political demeanour, Minister Bhujbal said, “We share good relations. Pawar Saheb’s nature is such that no matter how big a political rival someone is, he maintains relations and speaks affectionately with them. He doesn’t hold enmity in everything. This is something we learned from him, as he is the most senior leader in the state.”

Reflecting on the history of Maharashtra politics, Minister Bhujbal remarked that a reunion of split factions would naturally please longtime loyalists. “If everyone comes together, it is a matter of joy. Tomorrow, if both Shiv Senas come together and the Thackeray brothers reunite, old Shiv Sainiks will be happy. Similarly, if the two Pawars come together, those who played a vital role in establishing the NCP will be delighted,” he said.

Recalling the party’s founding days, Minister Bhujbal noted that he and Sharad Pawar established the NCP together, even as some leaders initially hesitated to leave the Congress and joined four to six months later. He concluded that if the two Pawars unite, it would certainly bring joy to the party’s veteran members.

Bhujbal’s statement comes a day after NCP(SP) Working President and Baramati MP, Supriya Sule on Thursday categorically ruled out any ongoing merger talks between the two NCP factions, declaring that the chapter closed for her the day her brother, Ajit Pawar, passed away.

Addressing the media, Sule dismissed swirling rumours of a reunion between the NCP(SP) and the ruling NCP faction headed by Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar.

“No proposal regarding a merger has been received by us,” Sule stated unequivocally.

In an emotional remark, she added, “My brother is gone, and on that very day, the subject of the merger ended for me. I have not received any proposal, so I have no information about what merger is being discussed. No one has spoken to me about this.”

Railway security agencies have arrested a youth from Mumbai for allegedly being involved in the black marketing of railway tickets following a raid at a dharamshala in Madhuban, Giridih district of Jharkhand. A total of 31 train tickets worth Rs 1.74 lakh were recovered from his possession.

According to officials, 117 passengers were scheduled to travel on the recovered tickets. During interrogation, the accused allegedly admitted to charging an additional Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000 per ticket in the name of arranging tickets for needy passengers.

Acting on a tip-off, a joint team of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Dhanbad, and the Railway Protection Force (RPF) Post, Gomo, along with personnel from the local Madhuban police station, conducted a raid at Siddhayatan Charitable Spiritual Home Dharamshala on Thursday.

During the operation, the team searched room number 226 of the dharamshala and allegedly uncovered the ticket black marketing racket.

The accused was identified as 33-year-old Jaswant Rai, a resident of Malad West in Mumbai, Maharashtra. He was apprehended from the spot.

During the search, the team recovered 31 railway tickets purchased from the Madhuban railway counter over the past three days. The total value of the tickets was estimated at Rs 1,74,630.

Apart from the tickets, the officials also seized two used touchscreen mobile phones and Rs 6,900 in cash from the accused.

Following the operation, a case was registered at the Railway Protection Force Post, Gomo, on November 12, under Case No. 789/26. The accused has been booked under Section 143 of the Railways Act for his alleged involvement in the illegal sale of railway tickets.

Railway security agencies are now investigating the matter to establish the extent of the alleged racket and identify other people who may be involved in the black marketing of railway tickets.