11 July,2023 09:01 PM IST | Mumbai | Ronak Mastakar
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Maharashtra Industries Minister and Shiv Sena leader Uday Samant on Tuesday said 'Mahayuti' alliance led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will get more than 200 MLAs and more than 45 MPs in the upcoming elections.
The Shiv Sena also said that the Vidhan Sabha and Lok Sabha elections will be held under the leadership of Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde.
"With able leaders heading the Mahayuti, we are sure of getting the numbers. Opposition members are scrambling to save their remaining leaders and hence resorting to lowly criticism," he said.
While speaking at a press conference held at his official residence in Mumbai, Uday Samant said that Uddhav Thackeray's criticism on the government's 'Shaasan Aaplya Daari' ('Government at your doorstep') initiative is an attempt to keep up the morale of their remaining cadres.
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"Those who speak in front of an audience and give speeches only in rallies can never understand the initiative of reaching out to people's doorstep. Some people are not able to digest the fact because they know that lakhs of people are benefitting from the initiative and Eknath Shinde has been reaching out to the public. All their criticism is to keep their MLAs intact; we ignore such statements and speeches," he said.
Uday Samant said the way Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis was subjected to insult by Uddhav Thackeray is the lowest they can get.
"Back in the 2019 elections, they fought elections together and kept Balasaheb Thackeray's photo alongside PM Narendra Modi's. What happened next is for everyone to see. And now suddenly he is a kalank or tainted? Constructive criticism of ideas and thoughts is fine, but hitting below the belt and attacking on a personal level is not appreciated," he added.
The Shiv Sena leader further said that everyone in Maharashtra knows why Eknath Shinde rebelled against Uddhav Thackeray.
"Was Eknath Shinde the one who threw Raj Thackeray out of the family? If they think that resorting to such abuse and name-calling against us will elect them to power, they are daydreaming. What about those who sat next to the blotted Congress whom Balasaheb had always criticised severely?," asked Uday Samant.
Regarding the cabinet portfolios, Uday Samant said, "The three leaders (Eknath Shinde, Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar) know the balance. All the information going out in public is wrong. They will take amicable solutions considering all the leaders and their seniority and abilities. This is only natural that when an ally is increased, we have to give our share. But we are together for the same motto of realising Modiji's vision of development."