The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP) are trading barbs over the controversy surrounding self-styled godman Ashok Kharat, triggering a fresh political row in the state.

NCP-SP MLA Rohit Pawar has alleged that the BJP is deliberately amplifying the issue to tarnish the image of its allies and create mistrust within the ruling alliance. The BJP, however, has hit back strongly, asking Pawar Jr. to focus on internal issues within his own party instead of questioning others, further escalating the war of words between the two sides.