If 50 MLAs and 13 MPs were wrong, people would not have supported them in large numbers, said Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday, countering the “traitor” charge levelled against him by rivals.
It’s time to extinguish the “torch of ego and arrogance” with the bow-and-arrow, he said in a subtle reference to the symbols of the Shiv Sena and the group headed by his former party chief Uddhav Thackeray.
The Shiv Sena under Thackeray was split in 2022 after Shinde walked away with a majority of the party lawmakers and tied up with the BJP to form the government. The Election Commission later allowed his group to retain the name ‘Shiv Sena’ and its bow-and-arrow symbol.
The faction under Thackeray is known as Shiv Sena (UBT) and has a ‘flaming torch’ as its symbol.
Addressing a rally in Dharashiv district, earlier Osmanabad, Shinde said “they allege that their party has been stolen and they have deceived”.
“If 50 MLAs and 13 MPs were wrong, people would not have joined us in large numbers. Instead of introspecting, they (UBT) cry every day by calling us traitors. But they have no one left on their side,” Shinde said without taking anyone’s name.
The groups led by Shinde and Thackeray have been at loggerheads over some issue or the other.
“We have the bow-and-arrow now. We have to extinguish the torch of ego and arrogance with it,” he said.
Shinde said “they” whine that the ideals of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray have been stolen. “Can ideals be stolen? They gave up Bal Thackeray’s ideals in 2019 itself. They just wanted Bal Thackeray’s party funds,” he said.
The CM claimed that after his group was allowed to keep the party's (Shiv Sena) name and its symbol, “they wrote to us demanding Rs 50 crore of the party”.
“I immediately ordered to give that amount as we needed only Bal Thackeray’s ideals and not the party’s money,” Shinde said.
Shinde said Shiv Sena workers should take government schemes to the people of Maharashtra and ensure that they benefit from it.
“We (ruling coalition) have to win 45+ seats in Lok Sabha and strengthen the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” he said. The state sends 48 MPs to the Lok Sabha. The ruling coalition also comprises Ajit Pawar-led NCP.
