Mumbai: In a befitting reply, the Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray, on Monday, said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will also dump NCP leader Ajit Pawar as it has ditched 25-year-old long friendship.
In an editorial in Shiv Sena’s mouthpiece ‘Saamana’, Thackeray sarcastically attacked the Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis saying that he took oath like a ‘thief on the run’.
Slamming Ajit Pawar, the editorial in the Maharashtra daily also warned Pawar to remain conscious by saying, “The people who did not respect the 25-year-long friendship with the Shiv Sena will one day throw you (Ajit Pawar) as well.”
Editorial further said, “It is height of cheating as the governor accepted a letter of support submitted by Ajit Pawar which he had stolen from his party office. We don’t want to insult this institution by calling it ‘shamelessness’.”
Fadnavis and his followers, who earlier wanted to put Ajit Pawar behind bars, are now chanting slogans in support of the chief minister and his deputy for new government formation, it noted.
Thackeray also attacked BJP for running for power without giving any importance to the 25-year-old friendship. He said, “Those who think power is above all, are in their last lap. The people of the state need to just wait for some time (to see it),” adding, “First they lost a friend like the Shiv Sena and now they are committing crime like a seasoned criminal.”
In dramatic series of events in the Maharashtra political tussle, Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar took oath as as chief minister and deputy chief minister respectively. The ceremony was administered by Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari at 8 am on Saturday in Raj Bhavan here, leading to the lifting of the President’s rule in the state.
NCP’s Ajit Pawar revolted against his party headed by his uncle Sharad Pawar and gave his support to BJP. The NCP and Congress won 54 and 44 seats respectively.
In the 288-member House, the BJP will have to prove support of 145 MLAs to remain in power.