Maharashtra NCP (SP) president Jayant Patil has claimed that the BJP used the alleged irrigation scam for 10 years to blackmail Ajit Pawar, evoking rebuttals from the NCP chief and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Patil made the claim in a newspaper interview on Saturday.

Ajit Pawar, who broke away from the undivided NCP and joined the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance last year, rejected Patil’s remarks.

Speaking to reporters in Baramati, from where he is contesting the assembly polls, Pawar asked, “Would I have waited for 10 years to join the BJP if I was blackmailed.”

Fadnavis said Patil should not be taken seriously. “Look at his face. He is always smiling. What he says should not be taken seriously,” said the senior BJP leader.

The alleged irrigation scam surfaced ahead of the November 20 polls after Ajit Pawar on Tuesday claimed that he was “backstabbed” by his close colleague and former state home minister and NCP leader RR Patil who ordered an open inquiry against him.

He claimed that a file mentioning Patil’s remarks ordering an inquiry into the alleged irrigation scam was shown to him by Fadnavis after the latter became the chief minister in 2014.

Ajit Pawar was the water resources development minister during 1999-2009 when the Congress-NCP combine was in power in Maharashtra.

The Sharad Pawar-founded NCP split after Ajit Pawar’s rebellion last year. Ajit Pawar subsequently got the party’s name and ‘clock’ symbol. Sharad Pawar now heads the NCP(SP), a constituent of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) which also comprises the Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT).

Polling for the 288 assembly seats in the state will be held on November 20 and votes will be counted on November 23.