Picture : Twitter/ ANI
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has expressed his determination to fight the political crisis gripping his government and took on cabinet minister Eknath Shinde, saying just as the rebel leader’s son is a Lok Sabha MP, should his son Aaditya Thackeray not also grow politically, as both sides showed no signs of backing down over the four-day-old impasse.
In a virtual address to party functionaries, the Shiv Sena president said he was not worried over the defection by MLAs as he considers them “fruits and flowers of a tree which have been blighted by disease”.
“You make take the fruits and flowers of the tree. But till the roots (rank and file) are strong, I need not worry. The roots can never be uprooted. Every season, new leaves and fruits blossom. Leaves blighted by disease need to be removed and thrown. Consider the present situation in this context,” Thackeray told the party rank and file.
He said he may have moved out of the official residence of the chief minister, but his determination to fight the crisis remains intact.
”I have given up the temptation by moving out of the chief minister’s official bungalow (Varsha) but not my determination to fight back,” he asserted, and made it clear he is not after power.
“What kind of Shiv Sainiks are you? Don’t you feel agitated by the BJP’s use and throw policy and when baseless charges are made against Matoshree (the private residence of the Thackerays in suburban Bandra),” he said.
“The department of urban development, which is currently with Shinde, had been always with the chief minister. Your son (Shrikant Shinde) can be an MP, but should not Aaditya also grow politically,” he asked.
Shrikant Shinde is the Lok Sabha MP from Kalyan, while the CM’s son, Aaditya Thackeray, is a state cabinet minister holding the environment and tourism portfolios.
Hitting out at Shinde, who is camping in Assam with rebel MLAs, Thackeray said, “He was made a minister twice after Balasaheb Thackeray’s death (in 2012). Twice we were in power (after 2012). He was given the departments which are normally kept by the chief minister himself. You should keep the Thackeray name out of your politics and see if you can survive. One can never detach the Thackerays from the Shiv Sena,” he said.
The party has suffered electoral reverses several times, but victory or defeat depends on one’s state of mind, he said, adding, “Let’s consider we have no one with us, we have to create a new Shiv Sena.”
