"Yes, I was pressured by Rashmi Shukla to join BJP", confesses minister in Thackeray govt

Minister of State for Health Rajendra Patil-Yadravkar has admitted that he was pressured by senior police officer Rashmi Shukla to join the BJP while forming the government in the state after the Maharashtra Assembly election 2019. Shukla had put pressure, tweeted Housing Minister Jitendra Awhad. This has been confirmed by Yadravkar's confession.

"Housing Minister Awhad alleged that Rajendra Yadravkar was pressured by senior police officer Rashmi Shukla not to support the Mahavikas Aghadi, hired a policeman to keep an eye on him, and even tried to lure him," read the tweet posted by NCP's official account.

Yadravkar said that the matter was also brought to the notice of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and senior leader Sharad Pawar. There was an uproar after Awhad tweeted that Rashmi Shukla had put pressure on Yadravkar while forming the government. 

Yadravkar said, "While forming the government in the state after the Maharashtra Assembly election 2019, Shukla had asked me to go with the BJP. However, I was elected by the people of Shirol taluka so I told her I would not take a decision without discussing with them. After discussions I decided to support the Shiv Sena by holding, Yadravkar said.

राजेंद्र यड्रावकर यांनी महाविकास आघाडीला पाठिंबा देऊ नये म्हणून वरिष्ठ पोलीस अधिकारी रश्मी शुक्ला यांनी त्यांच्यावर दबाव टाकला, एका पोलिसाला त्यांच्यावर पाळत ठेवण्यासाठी कामाला लावले, त्यांना आमिष दाखविण्याचाही प्रयत्न झाला होता,असा आरोप गृहनिर्माण मंत्री @AwhadSpeaks यांनी केला. pic.twitter.com/MXgtA4nGBz

— NCP (@NCPspeaks) March 25, 2021