Mumbai- Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Chief Spokesperson Mahesh Tapase has strongly condemned Chhagan Bhujbal, for his recent admission of joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to escape Enforcement Directorate (ED) investigations. The statement, disclosed in journalist Rajdeep Sardesai’s latest book, has sparked a wave of criticism, with Tapase highlighting what he terms as the “Washing Machine Culture” of the BJP.

Tapase expressed deep disappointment over Bhujbal’s statement, which reflects the increasingly transactional approach to political alignments within India’s current political climate. "It is appalling to see senior leaders openly confessing to joining the ruling party to evade investigation. Such admissions only reinforce the belief that the BJP operates as a 'washing machine' where corrupt leaders enter and emerge spotless," Tapase stated. He argued that this culture undermines the spirit of democracy and threatens to weaken public trust in the country’s legal and judicial systems.

Referring to the “washing machine culture,” Tapase emphasized that several political leaders facing scrutiny from central agencies, such as the ED, seem to experience a “cleansing” of charges upon joining the BJP. “This pattern of selective enforcement fosters a dangerous precedent, allowing leaders with allegations to join the ruling party to avoid prosecution,” Tapase added.

In his remarks, The Spokesperson of Sharad Pawar’s NCP urged citizens to recognize this trend as a threat to democratic principles and called on the judiciary and media to critically examine the actions of political leaders who exploit party affiliations to escape accountability.