Shiv Sena leader Adsul gives ultimatum to BJP on governor post 'assurance'

Amravati, Aug 6 (PTI) Shiv Sena leader Anandrao Adsul on Tuesday threatened to challenge BJP leader and former Amravati MP Navneet Rana's caste certificate in the Supreme Court if the "assurance" given to him ahead of Lok Sabha polls is not honoured in the next 10-15 days.

Adsul was responding to a query of reporters on a purported promise by the BJP to appoint him as a governor if he withdrew his claim to contest from the Amravati seat for Rana in recent Lok Sabha elections.

Rana lost the Lok Sabha contest against Balwant Wankhede of Congress.

Adsul had filed a complaint with the Mumbai District Caste Certificate Scrutiny Committee against Rana's caste certificate issued by the Mumbai deputy collector dated August 30, 2013. The committee ruled in Rana’s favour and validated the certificate. He then approached the high court.

On June 8, 2021, the high court had said the ‘mochi’ caste certificate was obtained fraudulently by Rana using fabricated documents and imposed a fine of Rs 2 lakh on the then Amravati MP, saying the records indicated that she belonged to the ‘Sikh-Chamar’ caste.

The Supreme Court in April restored the caste certificate of Rana by setting aside the High Court verdict.

"One gets annoyed if the solemn promise is not fulfilled. I will wait for some more days and if the assurance given to me is not fulfilled in the next 10 to 15 days, I will have to file a curative petition in the Supreme Court in Navneet Rana's caste validity issue," Adsul, a former MP from Amravati, told reporters.

Responding to the 'ultimatum, Independent MLA from Amravati district and Navneet Rana's husband Ravi Rana said Adsul has "lost his mind and needs treatment from a good doctor".

He claimed Adsul worked against Navneet Rana in the Lok Sabha elections. PTI COR CLS NSK