Correspondent, 23 October: Former minister and Shinde faction leader Abdul Sattar has made a sensational claim that the alleged 500 crore rupee audio clip played by Manoj Jarange-Patil could be part of a massive conspiracy to prevent Eknath Shinde from securing the Chief Minister's post in the future. The airing of the audio has heated up the political atmosphere in the state, with Sattar completely dismissing the allegations in the clip as baseless.
The controversial audio clip alleges that Eknath Shinde took 500 crore rupees from the BJP to give to Jarange. This claim created a major stir, prompting the Shinde faction to demand a probe. Following this, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis clarified that the matter will be investigated. While speaking to the media, Sattar expressed a strong possibility that the clip was created using Artificial Intelligence (AI). He voiced his confidence that a thorough and high-level inquiry into the matter will bring the real truth to light.
"It must be found out who brought this clip and for what purpose, what is the root cause behind it, and who is the mastermind," Sattar stated. "When the government investigates this, the truth will become crystal clear. If this is a conspiracy to defame Shinde and stop him from becoming the Chief Minister, then that will also be investigated." He reiterated that he does not find any factual substance in the claims made in the recording.
Meanwhile, Sattar also shared his observations regarding the ongoing Marathwada graduate constituency election. He noted that there was no significant curiosity among voters during the first two hours of polling. According to him, there is apathy among the electorate towards the candidate who has been continuously elected for the past 18 years, making the current electoral battle an evenly matched contest. He claimed that because voters are casting their ballots secretly this year, a change in the outcome is certain.
When questioned about taking a firm stand against the Mahayuti alliance, Sattar clarified that he remains 100 percent committed to his decision. "We do not support Satish Chavan. We have started campaigning for Pratapsinh Patil from our constituency," he stated. Explaining his definitive stance, Sattar added, "If one repeatedly changes their stance, the party's image is tarnished and words lose their value. People do not trust such persons again. Therefore, once a policy decision is taken, it must be maintained. We have been with Pratapsinh from the beginning and are standing behind him even today."
