Shiv Sena takes a jibe at Udayanraje Bhosale

The Sena in an editorial in party mouthpiece Saamana said that the erstwhile royal had different views about Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP earlier, but he has had a “change of heart”, and now both Modi and Amit Shah are following Shivaji’s principles in leading the country.

Days after senior Nationalist Congress Party leader Udayanraje Bhosale joined the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Shiv Sena welcomed the descendant of Maratha warrior King Shivaji in the saffron by taking a few digs at him.

Days after senior Nationalist Congress Party leader Udayanraje Bhosale joined the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Shiv Sena welcomed the descendant of Maratha warrior King Shivaji in the saffron by taking a few digs at him.(Kunal Patil/HT Photo)

The Sena in an editorial in party mouthpiece Saamana said that the erstwhile royal had different views about Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP earlier, but he has had a “change of heart”, and now both Modi and Amit Shah are following Shivaji’s principles in leading the country.

“Before the Lok Sabha elections, Udayanraje’s views about the BJP were different and sharp. Referring to the PM, Udayanraje had commented, “Who Modi? In Satara, we have Modi Pedhewale (sweet seller). The Modi government has given people a begging bowl. He had expressed anguish while raising his collar.” Now he has had a change of heart. He has said that Modi-Shah are working on the principles of Shivaji Maharaj,” the editorial said. Bhosale joined the BJP on Saturday in the presence of BJP national president Amit Shah and chief minister Devendra Fadnavis in New Delhi.

In an apparent dig at Bhosale, the editorial said the BJP is the party of “discipline” and that he would have to get used to it. “Chandrakant Patil or chief minister Devendra Fadnavis must have informed Raje that there is no place for hooting or raising collars in the BJP when Amit Shah or Prime Minister Modi are on the stage. There is a high command in New Delhi. Udayanraje took the blessings of the high command while entering the BJP. While doing so, he did not even raise his collar. Raje is getting acquainted to discipline,” the Sena said.

Responding to queries about the editorial, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Monday said, “There is no need for any clarification on the editorial... It is what we expect out of him as he is our own; it is not meant to insult Udayanraje.”

The Sena also took on the BJP and said that if the national party is aiming to get the votes of the Maratha community from western Maharashtra then it is the “insult of Shivaji’s principles”. The editorial said, “After taking Udayanraje with them, the calculation of the BJP is that the votes of Marathas from western Maharashtra will go to them. But Shivaji Maharaj doesn’t belong to one community. He is the deity of all communities and religions. If the thirteenth descendant of Shivaji is being used a pawn for politics of one community, then it is an insult to Shivaji’s principles.”