Devendra Fadnavis lashes out at Shiv Sena for 'betraying' BJP

He came to this tribal district for launching the campaign of January 7 general polls of the Palghar Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti.

The rally was attended by Leader of Opposition in the State Council Pravin Darekar and the BJP MLAs.

Speaking during the event, the former CM went on a tirade rampage against the Shiv Sena, the BJP's long-time ally, which turned foe owing to bitter feud over equal sharing of CM's post after 2019 polls.

He asked the farmers and citizens to give a befitting reply to the Sena for betraying the BJP, which emerged as the single-largest party with 105 seats in the polls, and insulting the public mandate by shaking hands with the NCP and Congress.

He said that the tripartite Maha Vikas Aghadi government struggled to finalise their ministers and, he further said, that even after selection of ministers there is growing discontent among the Sena leaders.

"In case of the Congress, the activists have even gone to the extent of ransacking the party offices," he told.

"It's unfortunate that it takes weeks to finalise the government and form the cabinet," he remarked.

He even heavily critisised the CM Thackeray's decision of doling out farm loan waiver up to Rs 2 lakh.

Dubbing the move as an "eyewash", the LoP substantiated that the farm loan waiver comes with terms and conditions owing to which nearly 60 lakh farmers will not get the benefit of the scheme.

He mentioned that before becoming the CM, Mr Uddhav demanded Rs 25,000 per hectare to the affected farmers.

"The Shiv Sena made a tall claim that the 7/12 record of the farmers would be made blank," he admonished, adding, "now they have gone back on their words."

He lashed at the Sena for pointing fingers at the Prime Minister Narendra Modi over farm loan waiver issue.

"Did you ask Modiji when you joined hands with the NCP and Congress? No doubt Modiji will help you out but remember he warned that the farmers and citizens will make your political slate blank and show them the door in the coming elections," he fumed.

Reiterated his doubt over survival of the Sena-NCP-Congress, he commented, "This government will be controlled not from Matoshri (Thackeray residence)."

"Instead Matoshri will have to dance to the tune of instructions from Delhi. Unfortunately, the Sena compromised with those who abused Savarkar," he added.

LoP Fadnavis bitterly uttered that the Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray promised his father late Bal Thackeray of making a Sainik the Maharashtra CM.

"Did he give an assurance that he will do it with the assistance of the NCP and Congress," he told.

"Balasaheb will be weeping in heaven if he learns about the Sena's move in the State politics," he lamented.

Lastly, he appealed the partymen to aggressively campaign for the upcoming polls by reaching out to the masses and briefing them on past BJP works as well as narrating the Sena's betrayal story.