The Shiv Sena on Monday took a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his remarks that he alone outweighs opponents, saying Modi is never alone as he has Central agencies to target the Opposition and also a "golden gang".
The editorial in Shiv Sena's mouthpiece Saamana said PM Modi was never alone while fighting the Sena in Maharashtra but (outgoing) governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari was a member of his "golden gang".
"Prime Minister Modi thumped his chest and said he was fighting alone and outweighs opponents, but this is not true. He has pets like snakes, scorpions, and crocodiles in the form of the Central agencies to target opponents," the Sena said.
The Sena's stinging criticism came days after the prime minister said in Rajya Sabha that the “keechad” (dirt) of allegations raised by his opponents will only help the lotus bloom more and asserted he alone outweighs all who had to take turns to shout slogans to oppose him.
"Distributing plum positions and allurements to members of the golden gang to make them fight (against the Opposition) is not bravery," the edit said.
The Sena also said "thumping of chest" ill behoves the position of the prime minister.
"It is funny to say that 'I am fighting alone and outweighing all' while keeping the police, judiciary, and Central agencies under him. But only Modi can create such fun which is going on for the last seven to eight years," it said.
The editorial stated had Maharashtra governor Koshyari not quit, the people who are angry with him would have barged into the Raj Bhavan.
According to a Rashtrapati Bhavan communique issued on Sunday, President Droupadi Murmu has accepted the resignation of Koshyari. He was replaced by Jharkhand Governor Ramesh Bais, who is shifted to Maharashtra.
Koshyari, who has been in the line of opposition fire over his remarks on Chhatrapati Shivaji, said last month that he had conveyed his desire to quit to PM Modi and he would like to spend the remainder of his life reading, writing and in other activities.
