New Delhi, Feb 24 (IANS): The BJP has claimed that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's call to NCP supremo Sharad Pawar in the Nawab Malik case is an effort to secure support for her nephew Abhishek Banerjee, against whom ED investigation is underway.

BJP co-incharge for West Bengal, Amit Malviya said Banerjee's call to Pawar is not out of principle or for solidarity but a desperate attempt to secure support at a later date.

On Wednesday, Chief Minister Banerjee called Pawar after Maharashtra minister and senior NCP leader Nawab Malik was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

"Mamata Banerjee's call to Sharad Pawar is not out of principle or solidarity. It is a desperate attempt to secure support at a later date, given her nephew is under ED scanner, not to forget the dark shadow of post-poll violence that hangs over her, who as CM, oversaw the pogrom," Malviya said.

After Malik's arrest, BJP national general secretary and Maharashtra in-charge C.T. Ravi tweeted, "NCP leader Nawab Malik arrested by the ED for money laundering. Playing the usual "Victim Card" will begin now."

Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis termed the matter as 'extremely serious' since the land worth crores of rupees was allegedly grabbed at a throwaway price with persons linked to absconding mafia don Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar, colluding with enemies of the country, and the proceeds were laundered for terror funding and anti-national activities.

BJP state President Chandrakant Patil demanded that since Malik has been arrested, he should quit, as also all other ministers facing various allegations should resign from the Cabinet immediately, failing which the BJP would launch an agitation on the streets.

After a series of meetings with top leaders of Shiv Sena-NCP -Congress, it was decided that irrespective of the court orders, Malik would not be compelled to resign as the Minority Affairs Minister.

A special PMLA court in Mumbai had remanded Malik to eight-day ED custody till March 3.