‘Jo Maharashtra drohi hai, woh desh drohi bhi hai’: Aaditya Thackeray targets Eknath Shinde after pat from Sharad Pawar | Mumbai News
NEW DELHI: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Thursday slammed NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar for honoring Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, calling him a “deshdrohi” (traitor) and accusing Pawar of betraying Maharashtra and his party’s principles.
While speaking to the media on Thursday, Thackeray said, “I will not speak about his age, seniority, or principles. It is our principle never to honour a person like this,” said Thackeray.
He accused Shinde of splitting Shiv Sena and sending industries out of Maharashtra. “Jo Maharashtra drohi hai, woh desh drohi bhi hota hai,” he added.
Sharad Pawar had lauded Shinde for his leadership and efforts in bridging political divides while conferring the Mahadji Shinde Rashtriya Gaurav Award at the 98th All India Marathi Literary Conference on Tuesday.
The move triggered a strong backlash from the Shiv Sena (UBT).
Amid the controversy, Aaditya Thackeray met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi.
Though Aaditya called it a “courtesy visit,” political observers viewed the meetings as ‘important’, given the ongoing tensions within the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).
He also raised concerns about voter fraud and EVM tampering, calling for opposition unity to safeguard democracy. “There is a big question mark on whether elections in India are free and fair. The entire process does not seem transparent anymore,” he said.
“Today it’s happening to Shiv Sena, Congress, and AAP. Tomorrow, it could be Nitish Kumar or Chandrababu Naidu,” Aaditya warned, stressing the need for opposition unity.
Sanjay Raut also criticized Sharad Pawar’s move, equating it to honouring home minister Amit Shah, who allegedly supported the split in Shiv Sena.
BJP leaders, however, seized the opportunity, claiming Pawar’s gesture was an acknowledgment of Shinde’s superior performance compared to Uddhav Thackeray as CM.
Eknath Shinde responded with praise for Pawar, emphasizing the importance of maintaining relationships across party lines.
“Pawar often bowls googlies, but I am confident he won’t bowl one at me,” Shinde said, adding that his developmental work had Pawar’s approval.
