'Fadnavis said he would groom Aaditya as CM': Uddhav Thackeray says BJP's guarantee i
'Fadnavis said he would groom Aaditya as CM': Uddhav Thackeray says BJP's guarantee is 'use and throw'
M.U.H
20/04/202439
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, in a candid interview with The Indian Express, has shed light on the evolving political dynamics in the state and the strained relationship with former ally, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
He further expressed disappointment over the breakdown of the alliance with the BJP, citing a departure from the shared principles of "Hindutva" and nationalistic ideologies. He reminisced about the early days of the alliance when his father, Balasaheb Thackeray, had envisioned a partnership where the Shiv Sena would govern the state while the BJP focused on national affairs.
However, Thackeray lamented that the BJP's approach changed after Amit Shah assumed leadership, leading to a breakdown in negotiations and eventual estrangement.
"My father had said, you take the country, we will look after the state. Achcha chal raha tha (it was going well). My father died in 2012, Modi came to my home. In 2014, when Modi was sworn in as PM, it looked like a dream come true. Baad mein unki chaal alag ho gayi (they started behaving differently) after Amit Shah became party president. Before the 2014 assembly election, Shah asked us, have you done a survey. I said, ham ladne wale log hain (we plunge into the fight), we don’t do surveys. Shivaji did not do a survey. If the survey says you are losing, will you give up the fight?," Thackeray told Indian Express.
Uddhav Thackeray also revealed the inner workings of the fractured alliance between his Shiv Sena party and the BJP. He expressed deep disappointment over the breakdown of the alliance, recounting promises made by the BJP leadership, including a rotational Chief Ministerial position between the two parties.
Thackeray disclosed that he had assured his late father, Balasaheb Thackeray, of a Shiv Sena Chief Minister, a promise that was allegedly supported by agreements with senior BJP leaders, including Amit Shah. According to Thackeray, the understanding was for the Shiv Sena and BJP to alternate the Chief Minister's post every 2.5 years, with Devendra Fadnavis purportedly pledging to groom Thackeray's son, Aaditya, as the future Chief Minister.
However, Thackeray lamented that these agreements were not honored, leaving him feeling deceived and his party's credibility compromised. He criticized the BJP's treatment of its allies, describing a pattern of broken promises and marginalization within the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).