Once leaders from Delhi used to come to Matoshree, now Uddhav bows before Cong: BJP-Shiv Sena

Mumbai, Aug 9 (PTI) Once leaders from Delhi used to come to Matoshree (for political talks), but now Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray has to spend three days in the national capital and “bow” before the Congress to put forth his side, said the BJP and Shiv Sena on Friday while ridiculing the former chief minister.

Thackeray had undertaken a three day visit to the national capital, during which he met Congress leader Sonia Gandhi on Thursday, and Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge a day earlier. Thackeray, who was accompanied by his wife Rashmi and son Aditya, returned to Mumbai late Thursday.

The BJP said Thackeray returned empty-handed from Delhi as he could not extract an assurance of being the MVA’s chief ministerial face for the upcoming Maharashtra assembly polls, while the Shiv Sena said the trip was for personal gains.

Talking to reporters in New Delhi, Shiv Sena Lok Sabha MP Shinde said, “When Shiv Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray was alive, leaders from Delhi would come to Matoshree (the residence of the Thackerays in Bandra here) to meet him. But today the entire family has to camp itself in Delhi. There can be no case of helplessness because they abandoned ideology,” Shinde said.

Uddhav Thackeray and the Shiv Sena (UBT) have reduced themselves to staying in Delhi for their personal gains, said Shinde, who is the leader of Shiv Sena parliamentary party.

“Some people told me that Thackeray urged Rahul Gandhi to make him the chief ministerial face but it was declined,” Shinde further claimed.

Maharashtra BJP spokesperson Keshav Upadhye said the self esteem of Uddhav Thackeray and his Shiv Sena (UBT) has been shattered during his Delhi tour as the Congress sent a clear signal that it would be the ‘big brother’ in the seat allocation discussions.

Then BJP president Amit Shah had visited Matoshree, Thackeray’s residence in Bandra, out of sheer respect ahead of the 2019 assembly polls and agreed to give his party 125 seats, Upadhye said.

“But now you have to bow before the Congress to get 100 seats to contest. What did you get with your Delhi tour if you could not get even 100 seats,” the BJP leader said in a swipe at Thackeray.

“Forget about anything for Maharashtra, the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief could not get anything for himself. To fulfil his ambition of becoming chief minister, he continued to push his case in Delhi but has returned empty handed,” Upadhye claimed.

Thackeray was disappointed after senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan announced that a decision on the chief minister will be taken after the assembly polls, Upadhye further claimed.

The Mahayuti (ruling alliance) is making sincere efforts to resolve the Maratha quota issue in the state and citizens expected Thackeray to discuss it with senior MVA leaders during his Delhi tour, he said.

“However, this expectation was ruined. This shows Thackeray was in Delhi for his personal political interest and not for Maharashtra or its people,” Upadhye alleged.

Thackeray was chief minister between 2019 and June 2022 before a rebellion by then minister Eknath Shinde split the Shiv Sena and brought down the Maha Vikas Aghadi government.

Shinde went on to become CM with the support of the BJP. NCP leader Ajit Pawar joined the ruling alliance in July last year.