'Focus On Cartooning & Photography, Leave Politics To Me': Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis Tells Uddhav, Raj Thackeray

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis took a swipe at Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Thursday, suggesting that the cousins stick to their respective creative pursuits of cartooning and photography while leaving state politics to him.

The remark came at the launch of ‘Hasya Rekha’, a collection of cartoons featuring the work of Marathi cartoonists over the past 100 years. Edited by veteran political and social satirist Prashant Kulkarni, the book was released at the Swatantryaveer Savarkar Rashtriya Smarak auditorium in Dadar's Shivaji Park. Fadnavis shared the stage with Uddhav, Raj Thackeray and Maharashtra Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar.

Fadnavis' Advice To Thackeray Cousins

Announcing the state government's plan to build a dedicated art gallery for Marathi cartoonists to showcase their work, Fadnavis said people should focus on what they do best. “The Thackeray cousins are a good photographer and a cartoonist, respectively. They should continue with that and let me handle politics,” he remarked.

Uddhav was quick to respond, pointing out that people need not restrict themselves to a single skill. Referring to the legacy of Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray, he said, “It is not correct to assume one can only do one right thing. The brush is a weapon for cartoonists. Shiv Sena founder, late Balasaheb Thackeray, proved it through his cartoons.”

Fadnavis Recalls Pre-2019 Equation With Uddhav

The event also saw Fadnavis make a pointed reference to his earlier political relationship with Uddhav, recalling their cordial interactions before the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly elections.

Shelar, in his opening remarks, had said Fadnavis attended the function after receiving an invitation from Raj Thackeray. Picking up on the reference, the Chief Minister said he had earlier responded whenever Uddhav invited him for a meeting, but that the calls stopped in 2019.

“Ashish ji, before 2019, whenever Uddhavji called me, I went to meet him. He stopped the calls in 2019,” Fadnavis said. He added that he had waited for a call from Uddhav at the time but it never came.

The gathering of leaders from opposing political camps also drew attention from the audience. Responding to the surprise over their presence on the same stage, Fadnavis said Maharashtra had a tradition of leaders coming together for non-political events, unlike what he described as the political atmosphere in some southern states, where rival leaders seek to eliminate each other.

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