Mumbai, Dec 1 The Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) on Monday launched a scathing attack on the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, claiming the party will fall into an “uncontrollable fire” that will ultimately see at least 35 legislators absorbed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The Thackeray camp, through an editorial in the party mouthpiece ‘Saamana’, interpreted state BJP chief Ravindra Chavan's recent assertion -- "Number 2 is all a lie. Number two has no value. Devabhau (Fadnavis) is everything” -- as confirmation that the BJP has completely marginalised the Shinde faction.
According to the Thackeray camp, the BJP and Chavan have completely cornered Shinde and his party workers. The editorial alleged that the ongoing local body elections have degraded into a “game of money,” with votes allegedly valued between Rs 10,000 and Rs 15,000 as the MahaYuti alliance partners engage in mutual sabotage.
Citing instances of infighting, the editorial quoted Shinde faction’s former legislator Shahaji Patil angrily remarking, "We are destined for slavery to the BJP." The publication also noted a Shinde faction minister, Gulabrao Patil, boasted about holding the Urban Development portfolio and offering 'Lakshmi Darshan' (money) to voters during the campaign.
“While Maharashtra faces numerous issues, the Chief Minister and his two deputies are busy campaigning for municipal elections. The BJP and Shinde faction are engaging in mutual sabotage. Voters are being lured with huge money, and those who accept the payment get stuck in the trap and become ready for Zindabad (long live) slogans. They have neither policy nor regulations -- only money and the game of money. In such money-oriented municipal elections, ultimately nothing except five to ten thousand will reach the public,” it alleged.
The Thackeray camp took a swipe at Shinde for his statement urging the BJP to adhere to the coalition ‘dharma’ or face conflict. The editorial asserted the Shinde faction lacks the moral strength for such conflict, characterising them as political dependents of Amit Shah who must rely on the scraps they are offered.
In contrast, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced in rallies, "We have plenty of ethics (‘niti’), intent (‘niyati’), and funding (‘nidhi’)."
Targeting the MahaYuti alliance, the editorial dubbed the current political arrangement in Maharashtra a "three-legged political system" or a "three-wheeled rickshaw," terms previously used by the BJP to criticise the former Maha Vikas Aghadi government.
"Their own three-wheeled rickshaw government has arrived, and it is overloaded and appears on the verge of collapse. Conflicts and disturbances have begun due to the local body elections. The current 'rickshaw' is adrift and poised to fall into a ditch. Competition in the local body elections has caused fights and infighting. Ravindra Chavan daily ridicules Shiv Sena, yet the Shinde faction remains servile to the BJP out of desire for power and fear of agencies like the ED," the editorial commented.
The editorial cited several examples to illustrate the wrangling and infighting between the BJP and the Shinde faction during the local body elections. In Konkan, a case was filed against Shinde faction legislator Nilesh Rane. BJP members are reportedly attacking Shiv Sena workers in various locations. The desperation of the Shinde faction is evident as they repeatedly urge the BJP to "Follow the alliance dharma."
The editorial derided the Shinde faction's claim that no one dares to challenge them while the Modi-Shah duo is present, labelling this assertion an illusion.
"Modi-Shah and BJP belong to no one exclusively," the editorial questioned. "Hinduhriday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray provided massive support to Modi-Shah, yet they cannot remain with the latter. So where do the Shinde faction supporters stand?" Saamana asked.
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