Senior BJP leader Gopinath Munde, who is also the deputy leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, alleged that both the Congress and its ally the NCP were instrumental in instigating communal violence in the two towns.

Commenting on the allegations by Maharashtra Congress spokesperson Husain Dalwai against the NCP, Munde said: “If the Congress had information about those responsible for the riots, then Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, who is from the Congress, and Home Minister R.R. Patil are responsible for the unrest...”

Criticizing Patil, Munde said the law and order situation in Mumbai was very bad and that the home minister had lost control over police officers.

He said: “I blame the Congress for inaction over riots in Miraj and Sangli. It had completely failed to halt the riots.” “They knew that riots were going to take place. Why was no action taken despite there being a Congress chief minister?”

Munde alleged that Home Minister R.R. Patil and Rural Development Minister Jayant Patil of the NCP who hail from Sangli had played dirty politics after the riots. In fact, the lives of the common people are at risk due to the internal power struggle in the NCP, he added.