Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], April 13 : Former Maharashtra minister Aaditya Thackeray on Thursday, reiterated his claim that Chief Minister Eknath Shinde "cried" fearing jail sentence if he did not ally with the Bharatiya Janata Party.
He further said that what the Shive Sena leader did with the Uddhav Thackeray faction, can also do with the BJP.
Talking to the mediapersons in Mumbai, Aaditya said, "I have not said this the first time. On May 20, Uddhav Thackeray called the gang leader (Eknath Shinde) and asked him, why he wants to do this. He started crying and said that there is a lot of pressure and he doesn't want to go to jail. But, he also said that he will not leave them. But, still, he betrayed us.
"That's what I want to say that what they did with us, he can also do with BJP. Because, one who betrays once, can do that multiple times also," he added.
On being asked about Eknath Shinde's allegation that it was Uddhav Thackeray who "cried" in fear of losing CM post, Aaditya said, "What can I say about a person who is teaching me my grandfather's Hindutva, without even meeting him once".
Responding to Union Home Minister Amit Shah's visit to the state ahead of the BMC elections, he said that it doesn't bother him, as he and his party are busy with their work.
Earlier on April 11, Aaditya had claimed, "Eknath Shinde cried after coming to Matoshree and said - If he does not go with BJP, he will be put in jail".
It is pertinent to mention that Eknath Shinde led a 'rebellion' with over 40 MLAs in June last year which ultimately toppled the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut further certified Aaditya Thackeray's claims, saying that it is correct" and that Shinde had told him the same thing.
"This is 100 per cent correct! Eknath Shinde had also said this after coming to me. I tried to make him (Shinde) understand. But the fear of jail was clearly visible in his mind and heart. Aaditya is right," Raut tweeted.
Speaking to the reporters, the Uddhav Thackeray faction leader said that Eknath Shinde had told him that he did not want to go to jail and asked him to break the alliance with the Congress and NCP.
"What Aaditya Thackeray is saying is completely true, the present Chief Minister (Eknath Shinde) also said the same after coming to my house that I do not want to go to jail, you break this alliance. ...There is a pressure system going on all over the country but we need not fear. He (CM Eknath Shinde) said no, I am afraid that I will be put in jail, he was afraid of going to jail," Raut claimed.
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