'If someone from Delhi tells me...': Uddhav attacks Amit Shah
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray has accused Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde of shifting industrial projects from Mumbai to Gujarat—the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. "When I was the chief minister, did you hear...that any project from here went to Gujarat? ...Since this Mindhe (Shinde) became CM, so many industries have gone to Gujarat...We are not just fighting for power...our fight is against the looting of Maharashtra," he said.
Why does this story matter?
In 2022, Shinde led a rebellion against Thackeray, causing a vertical split within the Shiv Sena. As a result, Thackeray was compelled to step down from his position as chief minister and relinquish control of the party established by his father, Bal Thackeray. Shinde then formed a new government with the backing of the Bharatiya Janata Party. Maharashtra will go to polls later this year. The BJP-Sena-Nationalist Congress Party alliance will take on Congress-Shiv Sena (UBT)-NCP (SP) combined.
Thackeray questions RSS chief's stance on BJP's actions
Thackeray also accused Union Minister Shah of wanting to finish him and NCP (SCP) leader Sharad Pawar. He also questioned, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh—the ideological fount of the BJP—on the party's "Hindutva." "Mohan Bhagwatji (RSS chief), do you agree with the BJP's Hindutva? Goons are coming into this BJP, corrupt people are coming. Do you agree with this? Amit Shah is coming to finish me and Sharad Pawar, will you let us be finished?" he said.
Only my people can finish me: Thackeray
Thackeray added, "Only my people can finish me, not Amit Shah. If my people tell me to sit at home, I will sit at home, but if someone from Delhi tells me to sit at home, my people will make them sit at home. After our government comes to power, I will stop the loot going on in Maharashtra."
'Shah instructed BJP leaders to divide opposition...'
Earlier, Thackeray claimed that Shah held a private meeting in which he instructed BJP leaders to divide the opposition. "During his recent visit to Nagpur, Amit Shah held a closed-door meeting of BJP leaders where he asked them to split the Opposition ranks and politically stop me and Sharad Pawar. Why speak behind closed doors? He should say this before people," Thackeray added.
