He changed colours like chameleon: Shinde attacks Uddhav Thackeray over 2019 'betrayal'
Shinde accuses Thackeray of not responding to Fadnavis's calls in 2019; claims Thackeray went back on music school promise after PM Modi received Mangeshkar award
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Friday (July 18) hit out at Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, accusing him of betraying his ally Devendra Fadnavis in 2019.
Replying to the opposition's Last Week Motion in the legislative council, Shinde said, without naming Thackeray, that Fadnavis made "40-50 calls" after the alliance of the undivided Shiv Sena and BJP retained its majority in the 2019 assembly elections.
But there was no response (from Thackeray) to the BJP leader's calls, said Shinde.
‘Chameleon’
"Maharashtra has never seen a chameleon changing colours so fast. He went with those whom he once considered lowly," Shinde said in an apparent reference to Thackeray joining hands with the Congress after severing the alliance with the BJP.
It was because of his (Shinde's) request that Fadnavis had agreed to cede the post of Mumbai's mayor to the Shiv Sena in 2017 after the Sena won 84 seats and the BJP 82 in the civic polls, Shinde said.
Also Read: CM Fadnavis, Uddhav Thackeray meet in Maharashtra Assembly
"But he (Thackeray) betrayed Fadnavis in 2019 (by walking out of the alliance)," Shinde added.
Shinde also claimed that while he and rebel Sena MLAs supporting him were camping in Guwahati in 2022 after rebelling against Thackeray, the latter approached him for reconciliation, and at the same time told the BJP leadership in Delhi not to support the rebel group.
Music school issue
Shinde said the Thackeray government had announced starting a music school in the name of Lata Mangeshkar after the singing legend's death.
But when the Mangeshkar family awarded the first Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Award to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Thackeray got so upset that he decided against starting the music school, Shinde claimed.
When he became chief minister in 2022, he started the music school, Shinde added.
Also Read: Reunion of Thackerays has rattled Fadnavis, other Mahayuti leaders: Raut
Notably, Shinde's reminder of Thackeray 'betraying' Fadnavis and the BJP in 2019 came a day after the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief met the Maharashtra Chief Minister.
A day earlier, Fadnavis, in a tongue-in-cheek remark in the House, had asked Thackeray to come over to the ruling side.
(With agency inputs)