Eknath Shinde, the chief minister of Maharashtra, took a shot at his former boss Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday by saying that in order to receive development funds, good relations with the centre must be maintained and that work is done on the ground rather than remotely or online.
Speaking at the ABP conclave, Shinde made a dig at Thackeray, who frequently argued with the Narendra Modi administration while chief minister of the Maha Vikas Aghadi regime from 2019 to 2022.
Shinde emphasised that for the state to grow, it is crucial to have good working relationships with the federal government ‘One needs to enter the field in order to grow. You cannot accomplish anything online or on Facebook. When negotiating with the Center to secure funding for development, a chief minister must set aside ego.’
Despite the debilitating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic since March 2020, the Bharatiya Janata Party would frequently accuse Thackeray of ruling from his private residence ‘Matoshree’ in suburban Bandra in the city and not making trips to the districts.
When asked about how his faction was selected by the Election Commission as the true Shiv Sena and given the bow and arrow symbol, Shinde responded, ‘Balasaheb Thackeray founded the Shiv Sena. I’m with the majority of Shiv Sena MLAs, MPs, and (former) corporators.’
The CM claimed that Uddhav Thackeray abandoned Balasaheb Thackeray’s philosophy out of a desire for power without naming the latter.
After the 2019 Assembly election results, Uddhav Thackeray ended his alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party, claiming the latter had broken its promise to share the chief ministerial tenure.
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