NEW DELHI, July 9: The Newly-appointed Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday alleged that his predecessor Uddhav Thackeray had neglected his father Balasaheb Thackeray’s “Hindutva” while the BJP supported it.
Talking to media persons, Shinde, who is on a two-day visit to Delhi along with his deputy Devendra Fadnavis to discuss with the BJP central leadership about the shape of his cabinet, claimed that the Shiv Sena MLAs who broke off from the Thackeray camp had tried to persuade the former Chief Minister and Sena chief “three to four times” to go with “natural ally” BJP but failed in their mission. Several Sena legislators were upset with the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance and had unsuccessfully tried several times to speak to Thackeray about it before launching an all-out rebellion, he said.
He reiterated that the MLAs backing him are the real Shiv Sena. “We have the numbers and have been recognised by the assembly speaker,” he said. On the heated dispute over who gets to use the party symbol, he said they have faith in the judiciary. “We are Shiv Sena and haven’t done anything illegal. We have been recognised as the Legislative party,” he added.
Refuting charges that his ally BJP can go to any extent to be in power, Shinde defended the party by pointing to electoral numbers. “I have 50 MLAs, BJP has 115. People anticipated that the Chief Minister will be from the BJP,” he said. “Can people now say the same thing about the BJP? They can’t. A small worker like me got a chance to be the Chief Minister,” he added.
Backing the Chief Minister, his Deputy and BJP leader Fadnavis expressed support and commitment to making the new government successful. “My party made me the Chief Minister earlier, now as per the need of the party, we have abided by the party’s decision. Eknath Shinde is our leader and CM. We’ll work under him. The injustice was undone and our natural alliance was revived,” he said
“It has nothing to do with having a big heart. I follow all the instructions of our leaders. I am with Mr Shinde. We will work under him very well,” he said. Shinde had earlier thanked Fadnavis for having a big heart and giving him the top job even when the BJP had more number of MLAs. “Shiv Sena is of Balasaheb Thackeray and we are in alliance with Balasaheb’s Shiv Sena,” Fadnavis added.
Shinde and Fadnavis have already met BJP President JP Nadda, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and President Ram Nath Kovind. They are also scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the newfound allies move towards constituting their council of ministers.
(Manas Dasgupta)