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NATION JUNE 23, 2023 | The Indian Eye 6

Advert war or Shinde-BJP rift? Maharashtra

Govt on the defensive as NCP-Sena mount attack

Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction) MP Sanjay Raut says BJP is still scared of his party
leader and Shiv Sena’s dominance is intact in Maharashtra

OUR BUREAU
Mumbai
A
major controversy has erupted
in Maharashtra after full-page
advertisements appeared in
newspapers across the state with
the tagline “Modi for India, Shin-
de for Maharashtra”. A front-page
advertisement issued by the Eknath
Shinde-led Shiv Sena in newspapers
across Maharashtra stoked a political
controversy on Tuesday as it featured
pictures of Prime Minister Narendra
Modi and the chief minister, leaving
out deputy chief minister Devendra
Fadnavis. The advertisement claimed
that a survey had revealed that more
people in the state preferred Shin-
de for the CM’s post than Fadnavis.
Soon after the advertisement created
waves in political circles, the BJP-Shiv
Sena government has released an ad-
vertisement featuring both leaders.
Nationalist Congress Party
(NCP) leader Ajit Pawar on Tues-
day slammed Bharatiya Janata Party
(BJP) and Shiv Sena over the adver-
tisement featuring Prime Minister Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde pays floral tribute to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj during an event in Palghar on Thursday.
Narendra Modi and Maharashtra Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was also present (ANI)
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
He stated that the poster didn’t
feature Shiv Sena’s stalwarts like Bal- and fights. Sena’s alliance with the Congress harashtra’s Nanded said, “The BJP
asaheb Thackeray and Anand Dighe. Downplaying the incident, and the Nationalist Congress Par- believes that there should be no
“Till date, in my political career, I Bawankulee said, “In a family, two ty (NCP) under Maha Vikas Agh- reservation on the grounds of reli-
have not seen this kind of advertise- brothers also fight. So, differences adi (MVA) ahead of the results of gion as it is unconstitutional. (For-
ment which I saw in today’s newspa- might occur. Now that the adver- the 2019 Assembly polls. “In Amit mer Maharashtra chief minister
pers. PM Narendra Modi and CM tisement has come and everything Shah’s 20-minute speech in Nanded, and Shiv Sena UBT chief) Uddhav
Shinde’s photos were there in the is clear, I think we should close this he spoke on Uddhav Thackeray for Thackeray should make his stand
advertisement,” Pawar said. matter,” said Bawankulee. at least seven minutes. This means clear on this.”
He added, “They (Shiv Sena) BJP member Praveen Darekar that Matoshree’s dominance is still Further, targeting Uddhav for
say that they are the soldiers of Bal- said that the Sena’s ad “was not intact. Shiv Sena party was broken, the undivided Shiv Sena’s alliance
asaheb Thackeray, whereas Balasa- right”, while Sanjay Raut of the Ud- and its name and symbol were giv- with the Congress, Shah said, “I
heb Thackeray’s and Anand Dighe’s dhav Sena alleged Shinde’s camp en to traitors. Even after this, the was the president of the party at the
photos were missing from the adver- had forgotten Shiv Sena founder Bal fear of Thackeray and the Shiv Sena time. Devendra Fadnavis and I were
tisement.” Thackeray. is visible in them, this fear is good,” in Maharashtra to preside over the
Days after Maharashtra Chief The Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thac- a rough translation of his tweet in negotiations (with the Sena on the
Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv keray faction) MP said that Union Marathi read. formation of the government should
Sena came under fire after a front- Home Minister Amit Shah’s exten- The Shiv Sena spokesperson we come to power). Uddhav Thac-
page newspaper advertisement that sive speech in Nanded on Uddhav from the Uddhav Thackeray camp keray had accepted that if NDA gets
featured Maharashtra Chief Minister Thackeray shows that Bharatiya Ja- said that the BJP still fears them de- the majority in the 2019 elections,
Eknath Shinde, but not his deputy, nata Party (BJP) is still scared of his spite its symbol and name being giv- Fadnavis will become CM of Maha-
Devendra Fadnavis, State BJP Pres- party leader and Shiv Sena’s domi- en to the ‘traitors’, the Eknath Shin- rashtra. But when the results were
ident Chandrashekhar Bawankulee nance is intact in Maharashtra. de camp of the Shiv Sena. declared and NDA won, Thackeray
on Thursday said that in a family, Shah on Saturday spoke of Ud- Earlier on Saturday, while ad- broke his promise and formed an al-
brothers can also have differences dhav Thackeray and undivided Shiv dressing a public meeting at Ma- liance with Congress and NCP.”

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