Mumbai: After killing of tigress ‘Avni’, Maharashtra’s forest minister Sudhir Mungan-tiwar blamed it over Bha-ratiya Janata Party’s (BJP) internal dispute. He said that he is experiencing how people from his own party do not want him to rise. The minister’s remark came in Sangli, Maharashtra while laying foundation stone of late Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader R.R. Patil’s memorial.  

Mr Mungantiwar was praising former home minister late R.R. Patil. “Politicians have lost sensitivity. I am experiencing it for last eight days that the people from your own party see that you do not rise for better,” he said.

Mr Mungantiwar faced public criticism by Union minister Maneka Gandhi over killing of tigress Avni. She demanded his sacking to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. Forest minister also faced strong criticism by ruling partner Shiv Sena. There is a buzz that Mr Mungantiwar is being targeted from his party itself.

Mr Mungantiwar is taken as strong contender in Maharashtra for chief minister’s position. Over the last four years, he rescued himself from controversies. Being the finance and forest minister, he also tried to prove himself. But order of killing of tigress Avni by forest department landed him in trouble for the first time in four years.

The tigress was shot dead in Maharashtra’s Yavatmal last Friday. In September this year, the Supreme Court had said Avni could be shot at sight, which prompted a flurry of online petitions seeking pardon for the tigress.

For more than three months, the forest department officials were planning to catch the tigress with the help of latest technology. Last week, the forest department carried out the operation in Borati with the help of sharp-shooter Asgar Ali.