CM Eknath Shinde slams Thackerays for terming him CM on contract

Amid attack from the Uddhav Thackeray faction, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Thursday slammed his former boss Uddhav Thackeray and his son Aaditya (without naming them directly) for terming him traitor and betraying the party. Shinde countered Thackerays’ allegation that he is the CM on contract saying that he is but he has taken the contract to boost the state’s development, transform Maharashtra and empower the common man and neglected people of the state.

Shinde added, “I have taken the contract for the development of Maharashtra. I have taken the contract to make the state more prosperous. I have taken the contract to give justice to the common people, to remove the suffering of people, to carry forward Balasaheb's ideology of Hindutva. I have also taken the contract for the overall development of the backward people. A chief minister on contract is always better than one who allied with the undesired (without naming Uddhav Thackeray).’’

“I have not committed any treachery or betrayal but have joined hands with the BJP to pursue the thoughts of Balasaheb Thackeray and Anand Dighe and also the Hindutva cause. The mandate was given for the BJP and Shiv Sena alliance after the 2019 elections. The votes were sought displaying photos of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shiv Sena supremo late Balasaheb Thackeray. Instead, that party formed an alliance with NCP and Congress which was always criticised by Balasaheb Thackeray,’’ he said.

Shinde recalled the arrest of Union minister Narayan Rane for allegedly speaking against former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray. Rane was not even allowed to eat. Why, then abusive language was used against the Chief Minister (Against him) by saying the chief minister is on contract?’’ he asked.

“So who betrayed the people of Maharashtra and took the decision to ally with the NCP and Congress against the mandate?’’ asked Shinde without naming Thackerays. He claimed that the former CM and his son have no work left and therefore they are leveling charges against him and the Shiv Sena-BJP (Shinde-Fadnavis) government. “However, the government has the majority. The people are spontaneously coming on roads to support me and the government,’’ he noted.

Shinde took a dig at Uddhav Thackeray and Aaditya Thackeray saying that the people are gathering in large numbers across the state as they are not bought there. His remark was with reference to the Aaditya’s shiv Samvad Yatra where he was attracting large crowds.

In a reply to a last day motion moved by leader of opposition Ajit Pawar and others in the state assembly Shinde said, “Shiv Sena-BJP will successfully complete two and half years and will come back to power for five years after next elections. The government has taken a number of decisions in the short span of one and half months and it is committed to work more in the remaining period,’’ he said.

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