The Shiv Sena on Wednesday criticised Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis for his remarks on Vidarbha, saying that instead of speaking about separate statehood, the BJP should concentrate on developing the region.
The Sena also reminded its former ally of the resounding mandate it got in Vidarbha. “The BJP won handsomely in the Vidarbha region in the Assembly elections. But they should not think they have got this mandate to divide Maharashtra. Separating Vidarbha from Maharashtra is like separating a child from its mother,” the Sena said in an editorial in its mouthpiece ‘Saamana’.
“Instead, he (Fadnavis) should have spoken about the development of the region and about empowering the security agencies in Naxal-hit areas,” the Sena said. “We hope the ‘Fadnavis Express’ runs straight on the path of development of Vidarbha and does not wobble in between,” the Sena said, adding that it was “hypocrisy” on the part of BJP to talk about carving out a separate state, when the same party had criticised the Congress on the issue of the creation of Telangana.