Shrikant Shinde.
Credit: PTI File Photo
Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) head Uddhav Thackeray is in political no man’s land, said Dr Shrikant Shinde, the son of Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief leader Eknath Shinde, as political events gathered steam in the poll-bound state.
“Thackeray helplessly waited to meet Gandhis for three days in New Delhi to secure the post of the Chief Minister,” Dr Shinde, who is the leader of Shiv Sena parliamentary party said.
“When Shiv Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray was alive, leaders from Delhi would come to Matoshree to meet him. But today, Uddhav Thackeray and the Shiv Sena (UBT) have reduced themselves to staying in Delhi for their personal gains,” he said, adding that Thackeray’s “current actions” are a betrayal of the Hindutva ideology that Balasaheb Thackeray championed.
Talking to reporters in New Delhi, Dr Shinde pointed out the absence of Sena UBT MPs during the discussion of the Wakf Amendment Bill in Parliament.
"They (Sena UBT), having abandoned the ideals of Hindutva, did not dare to take a stand. In 2019, they betrayed Hindutva, and now in 2024, they are betraying the very people who elected them. Their refusal to engage with the Waqf Bill only underscores their ideological confusion and selfish politics," Dr Shinde said.
According to Dr Shinde, the Shiv Sena had been elected in 2019 under the banner of Balasaheb Thackeray and the image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He accused Shiv Sena (UBT) of seeking the votes of a particular community during the Lok Sabha elections, only to avoid representing them when it mattered.
"The Muslim community placed their trust in you, yet you abandoned them when the Waqf Board Bill came up. While other parties presented their positions, Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs fled the hall, avoiding any responsibility," he asserted.
Dr Shinde also addressed the ongoing power struggle within the Maha Vikas Aghadi, ridiculing the constant jockeying for the position of Chief Minister.
"Every day, a new name is announced as the face of the Chief Ministership, and these leaders come to Delhi, hoping to gain favour. But Shiv Sena (UBT), when in power, did nothing for the farmers, sisters, and youth," he stated.