Mumbai, Mar 22 (IANS): Against the backdrop of the 'letter bomb' political crisis triggered by former Mumbai Commissioner of Police Param Bir Singh, a delegation led by Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi chief Prakash Ambedkar met Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari on Monday and demanded the imposition of President' Rule in the state.
"Owing to the current situation emerging from the serious allegations against a minister, the state must be brought under President's Rule. However, the Legislative Assembly should be kept under suspended animation," Ambedkar said.
In a sensational twist to the SUV case related to the explosives-laden Scorpio found near industrialist Mukesh Ambani's residence in Mumbai last month, former top cop Param Bir Singh recently hit out at Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh by virtually alleging that the minister wanted his team member, arrested cop Sachin Vaze, to 'collect' Rs 100 crore per month from bars and hookah parlours.
He said that may be over the next four-five months, the state could have a viable government that would work for the people's interests, said Ambedkar, who is the grandson of the architect of Indian Constitution, B.R. Ambedkar.
The VBA chief also sought a detailed investigation into the charges levelled by Param Bir Singh against Anil Deshmukh to ascertain whether "collecting money" was the decision of the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi allies, the Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party and Congress.
"If the Governor fails to take suitable action, a perception would be created whether the opposition BJP is also involved in the case," Ambedkar claimed.
Besides the VBA, the BJP, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena President Raj Thackeray and the Aam Aadmi Party unit of the state have also demanded the sacking of Deshmukh and a probe into the letter, which has blown into the biggest crisis faced by the MVA in its 15-month-old existence.