Chief Minister Eknath Shinde without naming Uddhav Thackeray attacked Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government on Tuesday while asserting that he doesn’t need an election symbol to get elected by people.
Shinde and Thackeray camps are locked in bitter fight over party symbol. Shinde said he has worked a lot in his constituency. “So much so that I don’t need an election symbol to get elected by people,” said Shinde during a public rally at Purandar.
The Election Commission has asked the rival factions of the Shinde and Thackeray camp to submit documents by August 8 in support of their claims on the election symbol - bow and arrow - for laying claim on their political outfit Shiv Sena.
Shinde also took a dig at Thackeray for Sena’s decimation to number four in municipal council elections.
Shinde said, “We as a Sena were in power. We had the chief minister post. Despite that, in municipal council elections, we were at fourth position and Congress, NCP were ahead of us.”
The CM also reminded Sena’s alliance with BJP during 2019 assembly elections. “We had asked votes in the name of Narendra Modi and Balasaheb Thackeray and formed the government with Congress and NCP.”
{{/usCountry}}The CM also reminded Sena’s alliance with BJP during 2019 assembly elections. “We had asked votes in the name of Narendra Modi and Balasaheb Thackeray and formed the government with Congress and NCP.”
{{/usCountry}}According to Shinde, many Shiv sainiks and MLAs were objecting the alliance with Congress and NCP. “They used to speak with me. Even I tried to put their voice with party leadership but no one listened. We are the followers of Balasaheb Thackeray. He told us that whenever there is an injustice we must raise our voice against it. We did same and formed the new government,” Shinde said.
Shinde’s Pune visit attracted the political attraction though mainly in rural and outskirts of Pune.
Sena rebel and MP Shrirang Barne, Shivajirao Adhalrao, Vijay Shivtare and Tanaji Sawant were present, however, Shiv Sena workers from the city area kept distance from Shinde and did not participate in any programmes.