New Delhi
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde said that his visits to Delhi have no problem with the ruling Mahayuti coalition alliance (BJP and NCP) in the state, but the opposition parties become quite restless. In a video interview to ‘PTI-Bhasha’, Shinde said that his visits to the national capital are to resolve the pending issues related to the development of Maharashtra, meet Shiv Sena MPs during the Parliament session and meet with party leaders of other states.
Shinde said, “There is nothing to worry about Mahayuti. There is no reason for worry. My visit to Delhi makes the opposition parties uncomfortable.” Opposition party Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) and Congress have often been targeted at Shinde’s visit to Delhi. They have been claiming that everything is not good between Shinde and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
The Shiv Sena chief said, “Is it wrong to meet those who have realized Balasaheb Thackeray’s dreams by removing Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir or constructing Ram temple in Ayodhya?” Shinde had rebelled about three years ago to the then Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray -led Shiv Sena (undivided), Congress and NCP (undivided) Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government saying that Uddhav had abandoned the Hindutva theory of Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray.
He left the party in June 2022 with more than two-thirds of the Shiv Sena (undivided) MLAs and became the Chief Minister in collaboration with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Later, the Election Commission gave his leadership the status of ‘real’ Shiv Sena. Shinde said, “Whenever I go to my village or Delhi, the opposition has a lot of trouble. But I keep doing my work. They are free to think whatever they want. I do not come here without use.”
Last week, Shinde met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. Shinde said that it is easy for the opposition party Shiv Sena (Ubatha) to criticize their visit to Delhi, but they should understand that they have joined hands with those who insulted Balasaheb Thackeray by deprived of their franchise for six years. The Shiv Sena chief said, “The same Chief Election Commissioner (MS Gill) who had taken away Balasaheb’s right to vote, he was rewarded by the Congress as a minister in the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.” He said, “You (Shiv Sena-Ubetha) travel to Delhi in the desire of power, but we come here to bring public welfare schemes and ensure development in Maharashtra. We are proud of it.”
