Describing the Maha Vikas Aghadi government as a “three-wheel autorickshaw”, Union Home Minister and BJP’s troubleshooter Amit Shah on Sunday said that no promise was made to Shiv Sena for the post of the chief minister.
Shah accused Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray of compromising with the principles and ideals of his late father Balasaheb Thackeray.
“In Maharashtra, a three-wheel autorickshaw government has come in place...one wheel runs towards the east, another west, another northwards while someone pulls it backwards,” Shah said referring to the tri-party alliance of Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress.
“When the (Vidhan Sabha) elections were held...I was the BJP President and no promise of the post of Chief Minister was given to the Shiv Sena,” he said in presence to top BJP state leadership including Leader of Opposition in Assembly Devendra Fadnavis, his counterpart in Council Pravin Darekar, state BJP President Chandrakant Patil and BJP Rajya Sabha member Narayan Rane.
“Now they (Shiv Sena) say that promise was made during a (closed door) meeting in a room.... I don’t do room politics...whatever I do, I do it openly,” Shah said.
“There were posters of (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi....the elections were held under leadership of Modi ji and Devendra ji...there were rallies in which Uddhav ji was present when Modi ji was there or I was there....at no point of time they raised the issue (of chief ministership),” he said.
Shah said that when Article 370 was abrogated from Jammu & Kashmir, the Shiv Sena welcomed it in whispers. “What was the fear,” he wanted to know.
He also said that the grand temple of Lord Ram would be ready in just a couple of years.