‘Not like Putin, Zelensky coming together’: BJP, Shiv Sena scoff at Thackeray alliance

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde and BJP leaders Ashish Shelar and Chandrashekhar Bawankule were among those who launched scathing attacks on the cousins

Mumbai: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena on Wednesday sought to play down the political impact of the newly announced alliance between Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT) ahead of the upcoming civic elections, with senior leaders dismissing the reunion as a desperate bid for survival.

Mumbai, India - March 24, 2022: Ex-CM and Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly Devendra Fadnavis during the State Budget Session at Vidhan Bhavan, in Mumbai, India, on Thursday, March 24, 2022. (Photo by Anshuman Poyrekar/Hindustan Times) (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT PHOTO)

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde and BJP leaders Ashish Shelar and Chandrashekhar Bawankule were among those who launched scathing attacks on the cousins, who ended a two-decade-long political feud earlier this year and formally announced their alliance on Wednesday ahead of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections on January 15.

Speaking to the media after the announcement, Fadnavis described the tie-up as a “fight for survival”, claiming that both the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the MNS had lost their original identity and relevance. He also mocked the hype around the new alliance, saying it was being projected as if Russia and Ukraine were coming together.

“I am happy that [Raj and Uddhav] are coming together, but it will be childish to say that their coming together will make a major difference. Some people were portraying it as if Russia and Ukraine had come together, with Zelensky coming from one side and Putin from the other. They have come together for survival,” he said.

Fadnavis also accused the two parties of betraying the Marathi manoos and driving Marathi-speaking people out of Mumbai. “Their track record shows they are selfish and use emotional appeals whenever elections approach. Now, the people want to put a stop to this. Mumbaikars will vote for development done by the Mahayuti,” he said, adding that his government had started bringing the Marathi manoos back to Mumbai.

BJP minister Ashish Shelar, who is also the guardian minister for Mumbai suburbs, questioned the timing and intent of the alliance. “The Marathi manoos never asked you to separate in the first place. Then why did you break away, and why are you coming together again now? This unity is not for Marathi asmita (pride), but merely for the survival of their parties and an opportunistic lust for power.”

Shelar also referred to Raj Thackeray’s past remarks made while forming the MNS, when he had alleged that Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray was surrounded by a “coterie” that created a rift between the uncle and nephew. “Today, Marathi people are asking Raj Thackeray to name those people who allegedly created this distance with Balasaheb,” he said.

Recalling Raj Thackeray’s criticism of the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Shelar said, “We have preserved many such video clips of Raj Thackeray’s speeches attacking the Shiv Sena leadership after he quit the party.”

Bawankule said that emotional appeals by the Thackerays won’t work in Mumbai. “We are also Marathi people. We have not come from England to stay here,” he said.

Deputy CM Eknath Shinde alleged that the Thackeray cousins have come together only for power, and lack any kind of program for Mumbai’s development.

“Our agenda is to get Marathi people back in Mumbai from the extended satellite townships, and we have taken many steps in this. They can’t take care of their children; what can they do to save Mumbai?” he said.

Shinde said that the Thackerays remembered the Marathi people only when the elections approach. “Those who deviated from Balasaheb Thackeray’s ideology have been taught a lesson in the assembly elections last year and the recent municipal council and nagar panchayat polls,” he said.

“They have no development agenda; their goal is only to get power. These people drove Marathi-speakers out of Mumbai. The assembly polls and recent local elections have shown which is the fake and which is the real Shiv Sena,” added Shinde, who rebelled against Uddhav Thackeray and split the party in June 2022.