Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday took a swipe at his former leader Uddhav Thackeray by stating good relations have to be maintained with the Centre to get development funds, and work gets done on the ground and not online or from home.
Speaking at the ABP conclave, Shinde said one needed to keep ego aside for the state, a swipe at Thackeray, who as chief minister of the Maha Vikas Aghadi dispensation between 2019 and 2022, often sparred with the Narendra Modi government.
Stressing it is important to have good working relations with the Centre to fuel growth in the state, Shinde said, "To achieve growth, one needs to get on the field. You can't get things done online or through Facebook. A chief minister has to keep ego aside when dealing with the Centre to get funds for development."
The Bharatiya Janata Party would routinely accuse Thackeray of ruling from his private residence 'Matoshree' in suburban Bandra in the metropolis and not undertaking tours to the districts, despite the crippling effects of the Covid-19 pandemic since March 2020.
Queried on the Election Commission choosing his faction as the real Shiv Sena and giving it the bow and arrow symbol, Shinde said, "The Shiv Sena is founded by Balasaheb Thackeray. Most of the Shiv Sena MLAs, MPs, and (former) corporators are with me."
Without naming Uddhav Thackeray, the CM said the former ditched the ideology of Balasaheb Thackeray in the lust for power.
Uddhav Thackeray had broken his alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party after the 2019 Assembly poll results claiming the latter had broken its promise of sharing the chief ministerial tenure.
He formed the Maha Vikas Aghadi with the Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress and ruled till June 2022, when a rebellion by Shinde brought down the state government.
"The Shiv Sena ideology faced betrayal when you (Uddhav) formed the government with Congress and NCP, which Balasaheb had told you to keep at arm's length," Shinde said.
Shinde also said he will not claim properties of the Shiv Sena (after recognition of his faction by the EC) and said the legacy and ideology of Balasaheb Thackeray are what he and his supporters treasure.