Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Thursday slammed Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray for breaking his party's "natural alliance" with the BJP and using the names of Bal Thackeray and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to win elections.
Shinde, who has set out on a statewide tour in the wake of the NCP led by Ajit Pawar joining the ruling alliance, was speaking at a rally here. "These people sought votes using their (Bal Thackeray and Modi's) photos and then ditched them by joining hands with the Congress. They deserted voters and misused people's mandate for power. Who are the real traitors?" he asked.
Modi fulfilled Sena founder Bal Thackeray's dream of scrapping Article 370 but Uddhav Thackeray betrayed the prime minister, Shinde claimed. Many people can not digest his government's accessibility and the doors of his official residence `Varsha' are always open for all unlike in the past, the chief minister said.
The BJP behaved with honesty in its alliance with the Sena, Shinde said, adding that the saffron party could have staked claim to power in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) after the 2017 polls but allowed the Sena to continue its reign.
"BJP had enough numbers, but Devendra Fadnavis showed his large-heartedness and allowed Sena to stake claim and today they (Uddhav Thackeray faction) are abusing him," the chief minister said.
"No decisions were taken in the two-and-half years of the previous government," he said, referring to the Thackeray-led regime. "To add to our pace, we now have Ajit Pawar with us," Shinde added.
