Mumbai: Bharatiya Janata Party's Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis retaliated against Uddhav Thackeray's criticism of BJP's alliance with Shiv Sena on Monday, reminding the Maharashtra CM that Shiv Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray was the leader of the alliance till about 2012.
"Do you keep pointing fingers towards him on the decision of alliance? Do you say that Balasaheb kept Shiv Sena at bay? Yesterday we tweeted to greet Balasaheb, but did the Gandhi family, which joined hands with the Congress for power, even tweet about Balasaheb Thackeray? it is called helplessness," Fadnavis said.
Fadnavis' comments come in the backdrop of Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray's address to party workers on Sunday, where he had said that the party had wasted 25 years by being in alliance with BJP.
Mentioning issues such as Ram Mandir and the name change of Aurangabad, Fadnavis further criticized Shiv Sena's performance of the Hindutva ideology.
“The issue of Ram Mandir was resolved by Prime Minister Narendra Modi”, claimed Fadnavis, the Leader of Opposition, to which Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut, in turn, responded strongly.
He lashed out at Fadnavis, saying that the Ram temple was built not because of Prime Minister Narendra Modi but because of a court decision.
Raut also asked Fadnavis why the name of Aurangabad was not changed when the latter was the chief minister.
Also read: Shiv Sena wasted 25 years with BJP, they tried to destroy us: Uddhav Thackeray
Noting that changing the name of a city requires permission from the Centre, Raut also asked why the Centre at the time did not give permission to rename Aurangabad as Sambhajinagar, drawing a parallel with Allahabad being named Prayagraj under the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government.
Nawab Malik, NCP leader, and the state's minority minister, meanwhile said that Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray had long ago considered coming out of the NDA.
“Balasaheb Thackeray had thoughts of leaving the alliance with BJP while he was alive. Also, ten years ago, Shiv Sena had offered to do an alliance with NCP. However, given the political situation at the time, the proposal was not accepted”, Malik said.
Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday interacted with Shiv Sainiks across the state through audio-visual media on the occasion of the birth anniversary of late Shiv Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray. Uddhav Thackeray aimed hard at the BJP.
“We deteriorated during our 25 years of alliance. That is my view and opinion even today. I am firm on that,” said Thackeray.
“Shiv Sena was thinking of leaving the alliance ten years ago. The opinion that BJP is destroying Shiv Sena has been circulating in Shiv Sena since then. Therefore, ten years ago, a proposal came from Shiv Sena that Shiv Sena and NCP should take the lead in the state”, he had also added in his statement.
