No cause of concern in Mahayuti, only opposition gets heartburns by my Delhi visits: Eknath Shinde

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said his frequent Delhi visits were no cause for heartburn for Mahayuti alliance partners BJP and NCP, but is leading to a great discomfort among the opposition ranks.

In a video interview to PTI, Shinde said his frequent visits to the national capital were to resolve pending issues related to the development of Maharashtra, meet Shiv Sena MPs during sessions of Parliament and meet party leaders from other states. ”There is nothing to worry about the Mahayuti, no cause for concern. It is the opposition parties that are at a great discomfort with my visits to Delhi,” Shinde said.

Opposition Shiv Sena-UBT and Congress have often targeted Shinde for his frequent visits to Delhi, contending that there were tensions between him and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. ”Is it wrong to meet people who fulfilled the dreams of Balasaheb Thackeray by removing Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir or by building the Ram Temple in Ayodhya,” said Shinde. Shinde toppled Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government of Shiv Sena-Congress and NCP, contending that Thackeray abandoned the principles of Hindutva espoused by Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray.

Shinde walked out with more than two-thirds of Sena MLAs and MPs in June 2022 and later earned the tag of ’real’ Shiv Sena from the Election Commission. ”The opposition is at great discomfort whenever I visit my village or come to Delhi. But, I keep doing my work. They are free to think whatever they want. I do not come here without any work,” he said. Last week, Shinde met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.

Shinde said it was easy for the opposition Shiv Sena-UBT to criticise him for his Delhi visits, but they should realise they have joined hands with those who have insulted Balasaheb Thackeray by disenfranchising him for six years. ”The same Chief Election Commissioner (M S Gill) who took away Balasaheb’s right to vote was rewarded by Congress by making him a minister in the UPA government,” Shinde said. ”You (Shiv Sena-UBT) come to Delhi in your quest for power, we come here to pursue public welfare measures and bring development to Maharashtra. We are proud of it,” the Shiv Sena chief said.