Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde escalated his criticism against Uddhav Thackeray, accusing the latter of poor governance during the past administration. Shinde accused Thackeray of being aloof about people’s issues when he said, “You cannot run the government from your house or Facebook Live.”
This statement shows the persisting rivalry between the two leaders since Shinde switched allegiance from Shiv Sena in 2022, resulting in the ouster of Thackeray’s government.
Shinde Hails Successes of His Government
During his speech, Shinde highlighted his government’s achievements, attributing Maharashtra’s growth in GDP and FDI to his decisions. The Mumbai-Pune Missing Link and Metro 3 were cited as breakthrough projects.
“I have restored Maharashtra’s status as one of the economic powerhouses of India,” Shinde said, attributing his government’s working style to it. He focused on attracting industries in less developed regions, such as Gadchiroli and Gondia, generating employment and strengthening rural economies.
Maratha Reservation and Rural Development
Although admittedly delicate due to pending litigation, Shinde also broached the issue of Maratha reservations, who stated that while reservations were indeed granted, critique poured in upon the previous governments for politicizing the issue without getting results.
Other highlighted steps included low-priced crop insurance schemes valued at For Re 1, which are aimed at supporting farmers.
Shinde hit back at the Thackeray-led government, saying it belongs to a time permanence signifying that the government didn’t want to keep track of people’s voices. He added that it needed to track fundamental development issues facing rural Maharashtra.
He pitted his administration’s contributions toward urban infrastructure and industrial growth against those of the preceding administration.
“You have to be with the common people, see what they want, and do something in real-time,” Shinde charged, going some way to indicate virtual connectivity over an actual election campaign as Thackeray’s hallmark during his period.
Shinde also described ‘political conspiracies inside the Shiv Sena’ while he was inside the party. He accused Thackeray’s allies of putting pressure on BJP leaders through false cases, which he said had set him farther from the leadership deck.
This sparring match gives credence to the changing political winds in the state. While the state is gearing up to board gigantic developmental projects, the dissimilitude in leadership styles adopted by the leaders remains a bone of contention.
