"Sold ideology of Balasaheb Thackeray," Eknath Shinde responds to 'traitor' jibe by Shiv Sena (UBT)

Thane (Maharashtra) [India], May 10 (ANI): Reacting to Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi's 'Mera baap gaddar hai' remarks, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Friday said that the UBT Sena had "abandoned" the ideology of Balasaheb Thackeray and out of "greed" for the CM post, they went ahead with Congress and Sharad Pawar.
On Wednesday, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi referred to the 1975 film Deewar and said that 'Mera baap gaddar hai' (my father is a traitor) should be written on the forehead of Shrikant Shinde, son of Maharashtra Chief Minister.
"The words used for me are applied to them. In 2019, they abandoned the ideology of Balasaheb Thackeray...They sold the ideology of their father. They committed a sin and the public will never forgive them...In 2019, they betrayed their friend and the people of Maharashtra. They betrayed the ideology of Balasaheb Thackeray. When we contested elections together, Shiv Sena and the BJP had the same ideology. People believed that there would be an alliance government and that is why they voted. But out of greed for the CM post, they went ahead with Congress and Sharad Pawar. This is betrayal...I don't use the kind of words they use. Balasaheb Thackeray and Anand Dighe didn't teach me that. They have forgotten the ideology of Balasaheb Thackeray that why they talking this way," Maharashtra CM said.
When asked about personal attacks by Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders on his son Shrikant Shinde, the Maharashtra CM said that they have "lost balance".
"They have lost balance. They have lost their confidence. They have lost the ground beneath their feet. They see just Eknath Shinde day in and day out. They can't even digest that I became the Chief Minister...People are with me and love me. But they can't digest it. So, they speak nonsense every day. The level of accusations has lowered. This is not the culture of Maharashtra, Balasaheb Thackeray didn't teach us that. They have sold the ideology of their father, so what can be expected of them? So, I don't respond to their accusations. I answer accusations with my work. I keep working hard day and night," he added.
Meanwhile, the former Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam who joined the Shiv Sena after being expelled from the Congress, came down heavily on Priyanka Chaturvedi and said that it was not Eknath Shinde who betrayed, it was Uddhav Thackeray who had betrayed his father Balasaheb Thackeray's ideology.
"The woman MP of Shiv Sena (UBT) has said that it should be written on the forehead of Maharashtra's CM's son that 'mera baap gaddar hai'. I want to give her a reply that it's Shiv Sena (UBT) which has betrayed, it's Uddhav Thackeray who has betrayed. He has betrayed the BJP, the people and Balasaheb Thackeray... If you want 'mera baap gaddar hai' too be written on the forehead of Shrikant, then on the forehead of Aaditya Thackeray 'mera baap maha gaddar hai' should be written as they have betrayed in real," Nirupam said.
Shrikant Shinde is the sitting MP and Shiv Sena candidate from the Kalyan Lok Sabha constituency. Kalyan will vote in the 5th phase on May 20.
Eknath Shinde split the Shiv Sena in June 2022, toppling the Maharashtra government headed by party president Uddhav Thackeray, and became the Chief Minister by allying with the Bharatiya Janata Party. (ANI)