The Shiv Sena (UBT) on Wednesday dubbed the rival Sena headed by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde as a "slave of Delhi” after the party founder late Bal Thackeray's picture did not feature in an advertisement about the popularity of the ruling alliance.
The editorial in the Sena (UBT) mouthpiece Saamana claimed that Bal Thackeray's picture was missing due to the "fear" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
The full-page advertisement, which appeared in major newspapers, in the state on Tuesday cited a survey that showed Shinde ahead of Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis in popularity.
It did not feature Fadnavis's photo, while its tagline read "Modi in the country, Shinde in Maharashtra."
“What was the intention behind giving a jolt to Fadnavis and ignoring Bal Thackeray? The issue is not an advertisement, but the fact that those who claim to be the (real) Shiv Sena have placed their faction at Modi's feet," the Saamana editorial said.
The advertisement implied that "Bal Thackeray is nothing and Modi is everything,” it added. It also put paid to the BJP's campaign of "Narendra in the country and Devendra in the state," the mouthpiece of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena said.
“The Shinde group has become a slave of the rulers of Delhi. It has stooped so low that Balasaheb Thackeray's picture was removed due to the fear of Modi and home minister Amit Shah. How can such timid people call themselves the Shiv Sena and inheritors of Bal Thackeray's legacy?” it asked.
The editorial also questioned how could the people who did not remain loyal to Bal Thackeray stay with Narendra Modi.
The advertisement claimed that as per a survey, 26.1 per cent of people in Maharashtra wanted Shinde as chief minister while 23.2 per cent wished to see Fadnavis as the next chief minister. The Shinde-led party, however, denied having issued the advertisement.
Politics of one-upmanship has begun between the BJP and Shinde group, the Saamana editorial further said, adding that the Shinde group is showing off "borrowed vigour."
Chief minister Shinde has three official bungalows and the survey was probably conducted only across these three bungalows, it quipped.
The real test of popularity will be the long-due civic polls in 14 municipal bodies in the state, but the Shinde group is running away from elections, the editorial said.