Eknath Shinde-Amit Shah meeting a ‘sign of helplessness’, says Uddhav Thackeray

Uddhav Thackeray also took a dig at the BJP over pre-poll incentives, saying what opposition parties offer citizens is “revdi” (handouts), whereas what the ruling party provides is considered a favour, according to the PTI.

“Someone has gone to Delhi to complain that he has been wronged. Why this helplessness?” Uddhav Thackeray said, without naming Eknath Shinde, who heads the rival Shiv Sena faction, as per the PTI.

Last week, most Shiv Sena ministers, except Eknath Shinde, skipped a cabinet meeting over concerns that BJP leaders were poaching their MLAs ahead of local body polls.

A truce was later reached in a meeting between CM Devendra Fadnavis and Shiv Sena ministers led by Eknath Shinde, agreeing that Mahayuti partners would not poach each other’s leaders.

Uddhav Thackeray also criticised the state’s focus on politics over education.

He said, “Who will focus on education in Maharashtra? We don’t have the time. It is not our responsibility to teach kids because we want to break parties, MLAs, and MPs to rule.”

Earlier, the Shiv Sena (UBT) on Thursday launched a sharp attack on the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena amid reports of rising friction between the Shinde camp and the BJP, reported IANS.

In an editorial in its mouthpiece Saamana, the party said the BJP “neither takes the trouble to please you nor fears your displeasure”, suggesting that the Shinde faction enjoys little influence within the ruling alliance. It further said the Shinde group must now “bear the fruits of your karma”, calling the current turmoil a consequence of their 2022 defection from the original Shiv Sena, reported IANS.

The editorial alleged that the BJP is gradually working to weaken its allies, including the Shinde faction, and that “dissatisfaction within the Shinde camp is now out in the open”.

(with PTI and IANS inputs)