Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Friday asserted that the alliance of his Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will complete its tenure and return to power in the next elections.
In his reply to the opposition's `last week resolution' in the Legislative Assembly on the last day of the state legislature's winter session, he also took swipes at Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray.
People have responded positively to his government's performance and gave a landslide victory in the recent gram panchayat elections to the ruling alliance, Shinde said.
"Our government will complete the term and come back to power with a thumping majority after the next elections," he said.
The opposition had no moral right to target him on corruption as the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government did not enact the Lokayukta Act which his government did and also brought the office of chief minister in its ambit, Shinde said.
Shinde, whose rebellion split the Shiv Sena and toppled the Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA government in June this year, launched a scathing attack on Thackeray.
"I have been attacked and targeted all these months. Do not mistake my silence for helplessness.... I know all inside things," the CM said.
Without naming Uddhav Thackeray, he said it was ludicrous that someone who did not step out of house despite being chief minister should now speak the language of daring others.
"Someone had announced a reward to show a chief minister who did not step out of his house for two and a half years. We changed the chief minister and government, and saved that money," Shinde said in a jibe at Uddhav Thackeray, who had faced criticism for operating from home during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"He speaks of resigning as a member of the legislature but continues as MLC (Member of Legislative Council). At least honour the commitment you made in public," Shinde said, referring to Thackeray's announcement of quitting as MLC when he resigned as chief minister.
"(Shiv Sena founder and Uddhav's father) Balasaheb Thackeray may not have given birth to me, but he has given us our ideology. It is up to people to decide who carries forward his legacy, those who carry it forward or those who sell it for the sake of power," he further said.
Uddhav Thackeray "lost the right to touch" Bal Thackeray's feet the day he joined hands with the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party to form the MVA government, Shinde said.
"Apologise and be free instead of constantly berating me," he added.
Shinde's tirade came a day after Thackeray criticised him for visiting the Rashtirya Swayamsevak Sangh headquarters in Nagpur.
"I carry forward Balasaheb's legacy, which is why I went to Reshimbagh (where RSS office is located) and not Govindbagh (NCP chief Sharad Pawar's residence in Baramati)," the chief minister said.
The opposition has no right to preach his government how to honour national icons, he said.
"Who asked Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's descendants to show proof that they belong to his family? Who deliberately insulted (freedom fighter V D) Savarkar," he asked, referring to opposition leaders' past statements.
He visited Delhi on the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend a Veer Bal Divas program to mark the martyrdom of the sons of Guru Gobind Singh, Shinde said.
"And yet, I was targeted for visiting Delhi....it was an insult to the Sikh guru," the chief minister added.
He also spoke about the demolition of actor Kangana Ranaut's house in Mumbai, arrest of journalists Rahul Kulkarni and Arnab Goswami, Union minister Narayan Rane, MP Navneet Rana and her MLA husband Ravi Rana during the MVA government.
Talking about his government's record in the last six months, Shinde mentioned that plans are afoot to build helipads in taluka places and develop facilities for night landing.
He has approved industrial projects worth Rs 70,000 crore and irrigation projects worth Rs 18,000 crore which will bring 2.5 lakh hectares of land under irrigation, the CM said.
Rice growers will be given bonus per hectare, he said.
Speaking after him, Leader of Opposition Ajit Pawar took objection to Shinde devoting most of his speech to attacking Uddhav Thackeray and his son Aaditya Thackeray.
"You are the chief minister of 13 crore people. Let your spokespersons comment outside the House on a person (Aaditya) who is your son's age. The Assembly is meant to discuss and deliberate on policies and programs. I request you to leave the past behind," the NCP leader said.
-With PTI Input
