Former Maharashtra chief minister and senior Congress leader Ashok Chavan on Monday said that he is being followed by some unidentified individuals in Mumbai and Nanded, and all his movements are being watched. "I am being followed. These people are collecting information about my meetings and travel plans. It could be a plot to harm me. I have been hearing a discussion from many about a plan to do 'Mete' on me," said Chavan during a public rally in his hometown Nanded. Chavan referred to late Vinayak Mete, a leader of the Maratha community, who died in an early morning accident in 2022, while enroute to Mumbai from Pune at the Mumbai-Pune Expressway. Several conspiracy theories were floated after his death, and Chavan's statement was likely to fuel these theories of a possible 'foul play in Mete's death'. During his speech, Chavan also alleged misuse of his letterhead when he was the Public Works Department (PWD) minister in the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government. "Some unidentified individuals have taken hold of my letters as a minister, and copied my signature. After preparing a fake letterhead, certain defamatory matter about the Maratha community was spread along with my signature. I have already approached police over the same," Chavan said, adding that a written complaint has also been filed with Nanded Police after a similar fake letter was addressed to former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. "Ahead of the upcoming elections. This is a pre-planned strategy to defame me and create unrest against me by creating a law and order situation. A case must be filed immediately in this regard," he said. Chavan was under scanner due to his absence during the trust vote after the formation of the Eknath Shinde government in the state, and it was rumoured that he could switch sides. Chavan, however, has denied the same. Last week, state Revenue Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil — who enjoys a cordial relationship with Chavan — said that Chavan BJP would welcome Chavan, if he decided to join the party. The Congress leader denied such a move strongly, saying he had no such plans.
