Bal Thackeray will be crying in heaven if he learns about the Sena's move, Mr Fadnavis said (File)
The Shiv Sena-led coalition government in Maharashtra will be controlled by "Matoshree of Delhi" and not from "Matoshree" in Mumbai, senior BJP leader and former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Wednesday in an apparent reference to the Congress leadership.
Mr Fadnavis made the remarks targetting Chief Minister and Sena president Uddhav Thackeray while campaigning for the upcoming Palghar Zilla Parishad elections.
"This government will be controlled not from ''Matoshree'' (Mr Thackeray's residence in suburban Mumbai), but by the 'Matoshree' of Delhi", the Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly told a rally.
"Matoshree" means mother in Marathi.
The NCP and the Congress are the other constituents in the Sena-led Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.
"Matoshree" gradually emerged as a formidable power centre in Maharashtra politics when Sena founder Bal Thackeray was alive.
Many prominent personalities, including tallest political leaders of the BJP, Bollywood actors and even late King of Pop Michael Jackson, had visited "Matoshree" in suburban Bandra.
"Bal Thackeray will be crying in heaven if he learns about the Sena's move to go with the NCP and Congress after polls," Mr Fadnavis said.
He also accused the Sena of "betraying" the public mandate by forging an alliance with the NCP and Congress after the state elections.
Mr Fadnavis appealed to people to give a befitting reply to the Uddhav Thackeray-led party in the upcoming zilla parishad polls.