Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray fired a fresh salvo at chief minister Eknath Shinde on Thursday.
Addressing students at Gitam University in Hyderabad, he said before raising the banner of revolt, Shinde had come to ``Matoshri'' , the bungalow of the Thackerays in Bandra (E), and sobbed, saying the party should rejoin hands with the BJP. Shinde pleaded that if that were not done, then he would be sent to jail by the BJP-controlled central government.
"Aaditya is a kid," says Shinde
When his reaction was sought, Shinde said, "Aaditya is a kid... just ignore him."
However, Sena (UBT) M.P. Sanjay Raut endorsed Aaditya's disclosure. Raut said Shinde had come to his apartment also and pleaded that the party should pull out of the MVA coalition and befriend the BJP all over again. Else, the central probe agencies would send him to jail.
"I had told Shinde that we should not fall prey to the pressure tactics of the BJP. Shinde has the body of a tiger but he has the heart of a rat. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was courageous, There was a courage in his beard. Shinde should have shown the same courage," Raut observed. He noted that ED actions had been initiated against more than half of the MLAs, who had gone with Shinde."
Meanwhile, Maharashtra politics continued to be turbulent with talk of certain MLAs of the NCP and Congress MLAs defecting to the BJP.
Senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar's hush-hush meeting with Shinde and deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis had triggered speculation of a possible political realignment. Raut had, however, ruled out any such development. He said the Shiv Sena (UBT) was stuck with Fevicol to the MVA. Ajit Pawar is a very vulnerable politician before of the ongoing ED probe against him.
(To receive our E-paper on WhatsApp daily, please click here. To receive it on Telegram, please click here. We permit sharing of the paper's PDF on WhatsApp and other social media platforms.)
