'He Doesn't Step Out Of Mumbai': E Shinde's Latest Attack On U Thackeray

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday said Shiv Sena (UBT) workers are feeling abandoned as the party leader Uddhav Thackeray is not travelling out of Mumbai.

Addressing a campaign rally for the January 15 municipal corporation, the Shiv Sena leader said the Congress and later the Maha Vikas Aghadi government stalled development in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and introduced corruption similar to that in Mumbai.

The Shinde-led Shiv Sena is contesting on 96 seats in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.

"The water problem in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar remained unresolved due to corruption by the Congress and later by the MVA government.

"The groundbreaking ceremony for the water pipeline scheme was conducted even before the work order was issued. Now the work is underway, and the city will receive water within two months. As Chief Minister, I had sanctioned Rs 822 crore for this project,” Shinde said.

He further alleged that Shiv Sena (UBT) is responsible for the water crisis in the city.

"(Uddhav) Thackeray is not ready to step out of Mumbai anymore, and party workers across the state have been abandoned," he said.

He targeted Shiv Sena (UBT) for abandoning the Hindutva ideology and inducting former mayor Rashid Khan, who had opposed the renaming of the city, once known as Aurangabad.

"This is the first election after the city was renamed Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. However, former mayor Rashid Khan, who opposed the renaming, has been given a ticket by Shiv Sena (UBT). People should not support a party that has now become the party of Rashid Mamu,” Shinde added.

Shinde also alleged that allowing Pakistani flags in rallies was a betrayal of Hindutva ideology.

"Those who permitted Pakistani flags in their rallies are deceiving people by wearing a fake mask of Hindutva. This is alarming, and such forces must be kept out of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar," he said.

Shinde said the Thackerays are disturbed whenever I travel to Delhi or my village.

"We are contesting elections independently here. I dared in 2022 and overturned the government with Bal Thackeray's ideology in mind," he added.

Sharing a personal note, Shinde said he had seen poverty and watched his mother manage the household with limited income.

"Those experiences led to the creation of the Ladki Bahin scheme,” the Shiv Sena leader said.

In a swipe at AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, Shinde said the individuals who disrespect our deities, Vande Mataram, and ideologise Aurangzeb, must be shown their place.

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