Buldhana, July 10 (IANS) Launching a scathing attack on Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis over the Mumbai-Pune Expressway ‘Missing Link’ project, Maharashtra Congress State President Harshvardhan Sapkal on Friday accused him of “extreme arrogance and ego”.

Speaking to the media in Buldhana, Sapkal hit back at CM Fadnavis’ aggressive defence in the state Assembly, which followed intense criticism from the opposition after a recent landslide hit the project site. “Devendra Fadnavis repeatedly claims, ‘I built the Missing Link.’ But you did not build it by selling your own farmland, ancestral mansion or family jewellery. This level of narcissism and ego is uncalled for,” Sapkal stated, adding that the Chief Minister seems to be “afflicted by arrogance”.

Responding to CM Fadnavis’s remarks dismissing opposition critics as “witless” and “clueless”, Sapkal questioned the BJP leader’s mindset. “When I raised questions about the Missing Link project, Fadnavis responded by saying I lack understanding and brains. This is pure arrogance. I pity his mindset. The political ideology Devendra Fadnavis hails from believes that they hold a monopoly on all knowledge, and everyone else is ignorant. His statements reflect exactly that,” the Congress leader remarked.

Sapkal also took aim at CM Fadnavis’s recent claim that the opposition would be wiped out in a decade, stating it exposes the ruling party’s “undemocratic nature”.

The Congress leader did not spare Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde either, calling out the alleged use of unparliamentary language inside the House. “The Chief Minister used words like ‘thobaad’ (slap/face) and ‘kutra’ (dog) while addressing the opposition in the Assembly. This language does not behove the Chief Minister of Maharashtra. This is a state Assembly, not a street brawl by a water tap. A Chief Minister speaking like a street-side rowdy is deeply embarrassing,” Sapkal said.

Referring to CM Fadnavis labelling opposition critics as “hired trolls (bhade ke tattu)”, Sapkal argued that questioning infrastructure failures is a constitutional right. He pointed out that structural issues, like water leakage in the Missing Link tunnels, damage Maharashtra’s reputation rather than political critiques.

In a direct challenge to the Chief Minister regarding corruption allegations in major infrastructure projects, Sapkal said, “Fadnavis says some people are born after a million liars die. I openly challenge Devendra Fadnavis — let both of us undergo a Narco Analysis test. Let the truth come out before the public regarding how much corruption actually took place in the Missing Link and Samruddhi Mahamarg projects.”

–IANS

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