CM’s image being maligned: Uddhav Thackeray

Mumbai: After ending the saffron alliance, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray blasted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday. He also said that the chief minister’s image has been maligned and questioned whether he became the ‘CM of goons’, referring to entry of alleged criminals in the BJP. The longstanding war of words between the Shiv Sena and BJP has reached its peak after the alliance was broken two days ago.

“The chief minister’s earlier image has been maligned. Now, one fears if he will be seen as a CM of goons. Nobody wants to talk about the issues I raised pertaining to transparency. But why are people not talking about achhe din? ” Mr Thackeray said.

“I will not speak any more (on what Mr Fadnavis said) because I will also suffer from a sore throat,” he said, in a veiled reference to Mr Fadnavis drinking water twice during his speech last night owing to a sore throat.

Mr Thackeray said the BJP had ‘failed’ to honour its poll promise of building a Ram temple at Ayodhya. They (BJP) must be looking for the bricks they had collected earlier. If they find those bricks, maybe they will build the temple. You (BJP) will build the temple, but when?” the Sena chief asked.

The Sena chief did not spare BJP Mumbai president Ashish Shelar for terming the Sena ‘Kauravas’ and Mr Fadnavis Lord Krishna. “No one can become Prime Minister by delivering a speech at the Red Fort. In the same way, one cannot become Krishna by merely declaring oneself so,” he added.

Meanwhile, former Congress leader Devendra Amberkar joined Shiv Sena on Sunday, blaming Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam. He was welcomed by the Sena chief at the latter’s residence Matoshree.

Mr Amberkar alleged that Mr Nirupam is a dictator and is serving no justice to the Marathi people. “Nirupam is prepared to destroy the entire party. He is acting as a dictator,” Mr Amberkar said.