CM Devendra Fadnavis defends PM over Delhi defeat, flays Uddhav Thackeray, his Sena mouthpiece's jibes at BJP; in a scathing editorial, Saamana said Modi should take responsibility for defeat
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray
The war of words between the Shiv Sena and the BJP escalated yesterday with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis taking on the ally for Uddhav Thackeray’s comments and a Saamana editorial, in the wake of the AAP’s thumping victory in Delhi.
CM Devendra Fadnavis and Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray. Despite being in government together, the two parties have been exchanging barbs frequently and publicly. File pic/PTI
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“One cannot celebrate forever when a child is born in the neighbour’s house,” Fadnavis said while taking a dig at Thackeray, who had rejoiced in the BJP’s defeat, and said that the Arvind Kejriwal tsunami had proved to be bigger than the Modi wave. The Sena chief had said on Tuesday that the people could not be taken for granted and the voters in Delhi had not fallen for false promises (made by the BJP).
Sena mouthpiece Saamana, which has been widening the rift between the partners by publishing caustic editorials for some time now, added fuel to the fire yesterday when it appealed to the people of Maharashtra to vote the government that will last for five years. Views in Saamana are taken as Uddhav’s official stand.
With the snub to the BJP, which partnered with the Sena to stabilise its minority government, the Sena is being seen as trying to project itself as an alternative to its ally, which it thinks will lose steam and power in coming years. The mouthpiece blamed the Delhi debacle on Modi and asked the BJP to introspect.
Hitting back
Fadnavis saw unwarranted celebration in the Sena’s statements and defended the PM. “This defeat cannot be blamed on Modi,” he told reporters yesterday. Sources close to the CM said he was furious over Uddhav’s remarks after the results came out on Tuesday, but had chosen to ignore the Sena chief as a strategic move.
Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar had, however, lashed out the same day, asking the Sena to quit the government if it thought Modi was responsible for the loss.
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