"Jo Maharashtra drohi hai, woh desh drohi bhi hota hai": Aaditya Thackeray slams Sharad Pawar for honouring Eknath Shinde

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray criticized Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde, calling him “anti-Maharashtra” and stating that those who betray the state are “anti-national.” His remarks followed NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar’s decision to felicitate Shinde with the Mahadji Shinde Rashtriya Gaurav Award. The move has caused tensions within the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), comprising Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, and NCP (SP).

Thackeray said his party would never honor someone like Shinde, who, according to him, caused a split in Shiv Sena and harmed Maharashtra’s industrial growth. “Jo Maharashtra drohi hai, woh desh drohi bhi hota hai,” he stated. The felicitation event, which took place at the 98th All India Marathi Literary Conference, saw Pawar praising Shinde’s leadership and efforts in bridging political divides. Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders, including Sanjay Raut, strongly opposed Pawar’s move, with Raut comparing it to honoring Union home minister Amit Shah.

Amid this political turmoil, Aaditya Thackeray traveled to Delhi, where he met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal. While he called it a courtesy visit, he raised concerns about voter fraud and EVM tampering, questioning the transparency of elections in India. “There is a big question mark on whether elections in India are free and fair,” he said. He also warned that parties like Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, AAP, and even leaders like Nitish Kumar and Chandrababu Naidu could face similar challenges in the future.

The MVA’s internal conflicts have intensified following the controversy. Saamana, the Shiv Sena (UBT) mouthpiece, hinted that the party might contest the upcoming Mumbai civic polls independently, adding to the uncertainty within the alliance. Senior Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar blamed prolonged seat-sharing negotiations for the MVA’s poor performance in the last elections, while NCP (SP) MP Amol Kolhe said the alliance lacked coordination, portraying Sharad Pawar as the only stable leader in the opposition.

The BJP has used the situation to its advantage, claiming Pawar’s gesture was a recognition of Shinde’s better governance compared to Uddhav Thackeray. In response, Shinde dismissed the backlash, stating, “Pawar often bowls googlies, but I am confident he won’t bowl one at me.” The ruling Mahayuti alliance, comprising the BJP, Shinde-led Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar’s NCP, remains dominant, having won 235 out of 288 seats in the recent Maharashtra assembly elections.