Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde unleashed a harsh attack on his former party chief and political adversary, Uddhav Thackeray, accusing him of participating in “double-faced politics” and deviating from Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray`s beliefs.

In an exclusive interview with PTI on Tuesday at his Thane residence, Shinde claimed that Uddhav Thackeray`s conduct was opposed to Balasaheb Thackeray`s beliefs, painting him as self-serving and unsympathetic to party workers.

Per the PTI report, Shinde slammed Uddhav Thackeray`s claimed attempts to entice him back to the Shiv Sena while also coordinating attacks on his home, calling it “double-faced politics”.

“We are the real Shiv Sena and taking forward Balasaheb`s vision of Hindutva and the state`s development. Uddhav Tkacheray`s outfit cannot be called a `Hindutva` party as they joined hands with the Congress which insults Savarkar and they cannot even refer to Balasaheb as `Hindu Hriday Samrat` anymore,” he told PTI.

Speaking about whether Thackeray asked him to return, CM Shinde said, “He (Uddhav Thackeray) sent an emissary to me and while that person was talking to me, he announced he was throwing me out of the party. He was holding a meeting where they called for burning my effigy, attacking my house, those sorts of things were happening. These meetings were happening when they had supposedly sent people to talk to me. `Dogli rajneeti, chehre pe alag, pet mein alag, honthon pe alag (This is double-faced politics, something on the face and something totally opposite behind it)`.”

Shinde expressed his dismay by highlighting the obvious contrast between Uddhav Thackeray and Balasaheb Thackeray, claiming that the latter always prioritised the welfare of party workers and stood firm in his convictions, the news agency report stated.

“Balasaheb was something else. He will say whatever he has to say and he will never go back on his words. Whatever he would say once, will become cast in iron. There can`t be another Balasaheb Thackeray,” he added.

He accused Uddhav Thackeray of abandoning Balasaheb`s Hindutva doctrine by forming partnerships with the Congress, which he claimed disrespected Hindutva icons such as Savarkar. Shinde emphasised that the current Shiv Sena leadership has abandoned the party`s essential values.

“But he (Uddhav) abandoned the ideology of Balasaheb Thackeray for the greed of the chief minister`s chair. We are now taking forward Balasaheb`s ideology and that forms the foundation of this government. The work we are doing, so many major schemes we have launched, development is the main agenda for all of that and that is the real agenda of the Shiv Sena and that is what Balasaheb had dreamed of,” he said.

“They have abandoned Balasaheb`s ideology, they have joined hands with the Congress which insults Savarkar. They can`t speak a single word for Savarkar now as their lips have been sealed by their partners. They have forgotten to speak about Hindutva now. They have forgotten Balasaheb`s slogan, `Garv se kaho, hum Hindu Hain`. They don`t even refer to Balasaheb as `Hindu Hriday Samrat` anymore. They have abandoned Hindutva as well as the ideology of Balasaheb,” he said.

Referring to previous instances, per the PTI report, Shinde rejected Uddhav Thackeray`s assertions about BJP leaders` promises, dismissing them as mere bluster. He suggested that Uddhav Thackeray`s decision to side with the Congress and NCP was motivated by personal ambition rather than ideological compatibility.

Reflecting on his interactions with both Balasaheb and Uddhav Thackeray, Shinde lauded Balasaheb`s visionary leadership and dedication to Hindutva ideas, while criticising Uddhav Thackeray`s apparent self-interest and disrespect for party welfare.

“Balasaheb was a great person with great thinking and ideology. He was the one who would stand behind his party workers. He had a great vision for the development of the country and of the state, as well as for taking forward Hindutva. Udhhav is completely the opposite. He is only interested in furthering his own self-interest, he has nothing to do with the party or party workers. Despite having a chief minister of Shiv Sena, Shiv Sena was going downhill, and MLAs were not getting funds. What face they will show to the people,” Shinde stated. 

According to the report, he further added, “Everyone was worried. Party workers were going to jail despite him being chief minister. What does all this mean? Shiv Sena was totally going down. His ideas are totally different from that of Balasaheb.”

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