Time to find out who Maharashtra's maha gaddar is: Shinde takes on Uddhav

Without naming his predecessor Uddhav Thackeray, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Friday launched a scathing attack on him, stating that it must be found out who betrayed the people's mandate, Bal Thackeray's ideology and an ally of 25 years.

He was replying to the opposition-sponsored last week's debate in the legislative assembly.

"For the last one year, we have been termed "khoke" and "gaddar". It is time to settle this once and for all. People who accuse us of being gaddar and khoke, wrote to us, asking us to return Rs 50 crore. I have instructed that it should be returned. I don't claim your property. My property is the ideology of Balasaheb Thackeray," Shinde said.

He was apparently referring to a dispute over party funds after he split the Thackeray-led Shiv Sena last June.

"It is time to find out who is Maharashtra's maha gaddar (big traitor)," he added.

After Shinde split the Sena and toppled the Uddhav Thackeray-led government, the Thackeray faction accused the rebels of having received khoke or cartons of money and being traitors. The Shinde group, in turn, accused Thackeray of betraying his father's ideology and the old ally Bharatiya Janata Party by joining hands with the Nationalist Congress Party and Congress.

The chief minister also said that the opposition was a confused lot and failed to provide constructive criticism during the monsoon session.

Irregularities committed during the Covid-19 pandemic will not be overlooked and the guilty will be punished, Shinde said, adding that the Enforcement Directorate was probing how old oxygen plants were used because of which "patients lost their eyes" (due to resultant fungal infection) and body bags which cost Rs 300 were sold for Rs 6,000.

During the Maha Vikas Aghadi government (led by Thackeray), the level of education,  ideology, economic investment fell and jibes were in abundance, he said.

"We are rectifying what was lost," he said.

His was a government of like-minded parties with a strong support of the Centre, Shinde said, adding that from 170, "our number in the assembly is now 215."

The Ajit Pawar-led NCP faction joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government last month.

India has become the fifth biggest economy, rising from the tenth position, and now Prime Minister Narendra Modi is aiming for the third position, Shinde said.

During the MVA rule, Maharashtra had slipped to the third position in the country behind Karnataka and Gujarat, but his government  got Rs 1.17 lakh crore-worth investment and the state's top position was restored, he said.