In a recent event held in New Delhi, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad Pawar felicitated Maharashtra deputy chief minister and Shiv Sena (Shinde section) chief Eknath Shinde, raising many eyebrows. The gesture drew criticism from the state’s main Opposition, Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), particularly members of the Shiv Sena (Thackeray faction).
Shinde was facilitated by Sharad Pawar with the Mahadji Shinde Rashtra Gaurav Puraskar in the presence of Union minister for communications and development of North Eastern Region Jyotiraditya Scindia on the occasion of the 98th Akhil Bhartiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan.
The veteran politician is the president of the Akhil Bhartiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan reception committee.
The felicitation has not gone down well within Maharashtra’s Opposition parties, mainly the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackray) section. Its leader and Rajya Sabha MP, Sanjay Raut, on Wednesday, February 12, fiercely condemned terming the sammelan as “political dalali.”
“Certain things should be avoided in politics. We don’t understand your Delhi politics, but we too understand politics,” said Raut.
“Pawar saheb felicitated Shinde…who had betrayed and split Shiv Sena…in fact, Pawar did not felicitate Shinde, but he felicitated (union home minister and BJP’s chief strategist) Amit Shah. This is our feeling….Giving such an honour to someone we consider an enemy of Maharashtra is a jolt to Maharashtra’s pride,” Raut said.
“You (Pawar) are a senior politician, and we respect you…but this has not gone down well within the people of Maharashtra,” Raut added.
The NCP (SP) section sees no fault in their leader felicitateing the state deputy Maharashtra CM. Speaking on Raut’s blasting, the party’s Lok Sabha MP Amol Khole said it was the former’s personal opinion. “Pawar saheb showed statesmanship, where one does not bring politics into everything. I don’t think there is anything wrong with that. He is the president of the event (reception committee),” he said.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) section has called the whole episode the “end of MVA.” Maharashtra social justice minister Sanjay Shirsat said, “Its over…its ‘The End’ of the Maha Vikas Aghadi…this is the final chapter.”
Shirsat wondered if Raut’s boss Uddhav Thackray was happy with the Rajya Sabha MP’s remarks. “I am quite sure that Raut’s statements would not be liked by Uddhav ji… There must be something that makes him tolerate Raut. Had Balasaheb Thackeray been alive, Raut would have been kicked out of the party by him… The Shiv Sena (UBT) is sinking,” the state minister said.
