Oct 12, 2024 09:56 PM IST
Eknath Shinde rebelled against Uddhav Thackeray in 2022. He along with 39 other Sena MLAs camped at a hotel in Guwahati and later in Goa
It was a mega Vijaya Dashami showdown between Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray in Mumbai on Saturday.
With the assembly election dates in Maharashtra set to be declared anytime soon, both the warring Shiv Sena leaders engaged in a war of words with each other.
Recalling his 2022 rebellion that led to Shiv Sena split and Uddhav Thackeray stepping down as chief minister, Shinde said,”We freed Shiv Sena from those who betrayed Balasaheb Thackeray’s ideals.”
“Earlier everyone thought that the Shinde government would fall in 2-3 months but the government completed 2 years. If the (Maha Vikas Aghadi) government had not been removed, Maharashtra would have been left far behind,” ANI quoted the chief minister as saying.
During his address at the Azad Maidan Ground in Mumbai, Shinde compared the Shiv Sena (UBT) with Asaduddin Owaisi’s All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), alleging appeasement politics.
“Maha Vikas Aghadhi’s Lok Sabha poll success in Maharashtra was accidental, not permanent. Shiv Sena won 7 seats in a direct fight against Sena (UBT) in the Lok Sabha elections, restricting them to six constituencies. This success shows we are the real Shiv Sena,” the chief minister added.
ALSO READ: ‘Uddhav Thackeray is leader of Aurangzeb Fan Club’: Amit Shah in Maharashtra
Uddhav vs Shinde on Dharavi project
During his rally, Shinde defended the Dharavi rehabilitation project. “Our government started the Dharavi project and I want to tell the people of Dharavi that no matter what the opposition says, our government is going to give you good houses,” he said.
“Earlier Babu (Uddhav Thackeray) used to wake up, take a bath and go live on Facebook. People never liked Babu’s leadership, that’s why people brought down his government. Mahayuti government is going to be formed in Maharashtra. I thank the Prime Minister for giving Marathi the status of a classical language,” the chief minister added.
Uddhav Thackeray said,”I am not fighting only for myself I am fighting for all of you. They sold Dharavi to Adani and the people of Dharavi are facing many problems. I assure all of you and promise you that when we come to power I will cancel this project of Adani in Dharavi.”
ALSO READ: Uddhav invokes Ratan Tata’s legacy in Dussehra rally as he jabs Eknath Shinde’s Sena
“I want to tell the CJI that if you want to make history then give the right decision. You are only speaking, not giving any decision. You do aarti with Narendra Modi it is fine but if you do not give any decision then everyone will lose faith in the judiciary. People believe only in judiciary and democracy,” the former chief minister added.
Invoking the collapse of Chhattrapati Shivaji statue collapse, Thackeray said,”It (Mahayuti government) built the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj only for votes and that statue collapsed, but I want to tell you and promise you that when we come to power, we will build a temple of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in every district of Maharashtra.”
“Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is a vote bank for them, but for us he is God. I respect RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, but I don’t like his views. He is saying come together to save Hindutva, why didn’t you or Modi save Hindutva in the last 10 years?” he added.
(With PTI, ANI inputs)
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