Panaji, May 12 (PTI) Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) General Secretary Jitendra Deshprabhu today refuted charges of illegal-mining on his property and claimed the excavation work was intended for agricultural purposes.

Deshprabhu hit back, saying the charges against him have cropped up following his decision to contest polls from Porvorim constituency, near Panaji.

"The allegations levelled against me are politically motivated and they are being fuelled by those who want to contest election from Porvorim," Deshprabhu said.

Two days back, the Crime Branch registered an FIR against Deshprabhu, along with the Director of Mines and Geology Department (MGD), Chief Conservator of Forest and contractor Ritesh Naik, for illegally mining bauxite in the village of Korgao.

However, Deshprabhu denied any mining activity on his property. "I am an agriculturist and I ordered excavation of land for cultivation of Ratnagiri alphonso mango.