A political war of words erupted in Maharashtra on Monday after Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray dubbed Union Home Minister Amit Shah an “anaconda” who wants to “swallow Mumbai.” Responding sharply, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde accused Thackeray of “devouring Mumbai’s treasury” during his tenure.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday in Mumbai, Shinde said, “Yesterday, Amit Shah came and gave two boats to fishermen in Mumbai for deep-sea fishing. Many more such boats will be distributed by the central government. The Prime Minister is also coming tomorrow. He (Thackeray) talks about an anaconda? He himself is the anaconda who sat on Mumbai’s 'tijori' (treasury). The anaconda’s stomach is never full—it devoured Mumbai’s funds, took over plots of land, ate patients’ khichdi, and pocketed money even from body bags.”