In an editorial in its mouthpiece 'Saamana', the Shiv Sena mentioned how Fadnavis' act of accepting the deputy chief minister's post was being defended as an instance of his "big heart."
New Delhi: The Shiv Sena on Saturday targeted former Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis saying that his taking oath as deputy chief minister was a "shocking climax" to the "drama" that created political instability in the state. The party questioned the BJP why it did not show a "big heart" by honouring the pact of rotational CM in 2019. In a press conference on Friday, former CM and Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray had also targetted its ally saying that had Amit Shah kept his word, "there would have been a BJP chief minister in Maharashtra now."
In an editorial in its mouthpiece 'Saamana', the Shiv Sena mentioned that Fadnavis's act of becoming deputy chief minister instead of chief minister is now being defended as an instance of his "big heart" and "adherence to the party's directives", news agency PTI reported.
"With the motive of creating political instability in Maharashtra, a drama was played out, but it is still unclear how many more episodes are yet to unfold. The fast-paced developments have left even the Chanakayas and political pundits stunned as strokes and masterstrokes are being played," it stated, as quoted by PTI.
"The 'mahashakti' (superforce) behind the entire drama got exposed. Gaining power in Maharashtra through a rebellion in Shiv Sena was the main objective of this whole play, which was enacted in Surat, Guwahati, Supreme Court, Goa, Raj Bhavan and ultimately at Mantralaya (state secretariat)," the editorial added.
"However, the climax at the Raj Bhavan was the most shocking part of it. The one who everyone believed would become the chief minister (Fadnavis) had to take oath as the deputy chief minister and vice versa. He accepted the post as the order of the party leadership. But it is now being said in defence that Fadnavis showed a big heart and took up the post (instead of becoming CM himself)," it mentioned.
The Uddhav Thackeray-led party targetted its former ally writing, "But had the BJP showed its big heart by keeping its promise (about the rotational chief minister) made to the Shiv Sena two-and-a-half years back, then there was no need for it to present any defence for what happened now."
The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to stay the direction of the Governor to the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government to take a floor test in the Assembly on Thursday to prove its majority. Following this, Uddhav Thackeray quit office, paving way for Eknath Shinde to take over the top post. Fadnavis took oath as deputy chief minister.
The BJP, notably, is the single largest party in the Assembly. The BJP has claimed the support of 170 MLAs, including those from the Shinde faction, in a House of 288.
In 2019, the Shiv Sena and the BJP fought the Assembly polls together, but parted ways due to differences over sharing the chief minister's post.
"I had told Amit Shah earlier as well that there should be a Shiv Sena CM for 2.5 years (during Shiv Sena-BJP alliance). Had they done this earlier, there would've been no Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA)," Uddhav Thackeray said on Friday, as quoted by news agency ANI.
The Sena claims it was decided that all posts, including that of the chief minister, would be shared between the two saffron parties on a rotational basis.
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