Maharashtra's former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray
Highlights
- Maha ex-CM Uddhav Thackeray spoke about latest political row in state, day after Shinde took oath
- He said if Amit Shah kept his promise after 2019 polls, there would've been no MVA
- He also attacked newly appointed CM Eknath Shinde, and said that he is not a 'Sena CM'
Maharashtra's former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday, a day after rebel leader Eknath Shinde took oath as CM in a dramatic fashion, questioned BJP central leadership's 'promises' saying that there never would've been a Maha Vikas Agadhi (MVA) if the national party had kept its word.
The Shiv Sena leader was adrressing the press, and spoke about the latest political row in the state.
He said that the original deal for 2019 elections was that the Sena leader would be CM for 2.5 years, and he would've stepped down to pave way for a BJP CM. "The manner in which Govt has been formed & a so-called Shiv Sena worker has been made CM, I had said the same to Amit Shah. This could've been done respectfully. The Shiv Sena was official with you (at that time). This CM (Eknath Shinde) is not a Shiv Sena CM," Thackeray said.
"If Amit Shah had kept his promise in 2019 and formed the government with me the way he has formed it now, the alliance would have flourished," he said.
Talking about the swearing-in ceremony of Shinde who was appointed as the Chief Minister and Devendra Fadnavis who was sworn in as his Deputy, Thackeray said, "About what happened yesterday, I had told Amit Shah earlier as well that there should be a Shiv Sena CM for 2.5 years (during Shiv Sena-BJP alliance). Had they done this earlier, there would've been no Maha Vikas Aghadi."
The Shiv Sena and BJP had parted ways after the 2019 Assembly elections in the state after the former demanded 2.5 years of Chief Ministership each for both the parties during the term of five years, which the latter had not agreed to. Shiv Sena had then stitched an alliance with rival NCP and Congress to form the government.
"Now, there would be no BJP CM for five years," he said.
'Don't betray Mumbai'
Slamming the new government for its decision to build the metro car shed in Mumbai's Aarey colony, which the earlier Devendra Fadnavis government had termed important, Thackeray asked not to "project anger" for him on Mumbaikars. Addressing a press conference at Shiv Sena Bhavan, Thackeray also asked the BJP not to betray Mumbai like it “betrayed” him.
He said he was saddened by new Maharashtra government's move to relocate metro car shed to Aarey Colony from Kanjurmarg in Mumbai.
“Let the metro car shed project be at Kanjurmarg and not in Aarey. Kanjurmarg is not a private plot. I am with the environmentalists and had declared Aarey as reserved forest. Wildlife exists in that forest," he said.
Thackeray described the rebellion in his party as a mockery of democracy and waste of people's vote.
'Shinde is not a Sena CM'
In a harsh tone, the former CM had also attacked newly appointed CM Eknath Shinde, and said that he is not a 'Sena CM'.
"He is not a Shiv Sena chief minister. You cannot abandon Shiv Sena and call yourself a Sena chief minister," Thackeray added. He hit out at Shinde, who led the revolt against him for over a week which culminated in the resignation of Thackeray from the office, and said that the new CM is not from his party which the BJP has aimed at making.
