Shiv Sena (UBT) claims that Devendra Fadnavis, a senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and a former chief minister of Maharashtra, has undergone a remarkable transformation from a once-tolerant figure to one exhibiting traits of intolerance and arrogance in a harsh editorial published in its illustrious Marathi daily ‘Saamana’. The editorial, written by the party’s leader Uddhav Thackeray and executive editor Sanjay Raut, asserts that Fadnavis’s appointment as Maharashtra’s deputy chief minister is to blame for this shift in behavior.
According to the editorial, had Devendra Fadnavis not deserted the Shiv Sena after the 2019 assembly elections, the political upheavals that resulted in the present power structure would have allowed him to regain control. Following the 2019 assembly elections, the Shiv Sena, NCP, and Congress formed the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) administration in place of the BJP and Shiv Sena, which had previously shared power. According to PTI.
The editorial claims that Fadnavis’ subsequent position as deputy chief minister under Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has caused a noticeable shift in his mindset. “Fadnavis was previously tolerant, but his annoyance at being promoted to deputy CM caused him to become intolerant and haughty…To make matters worse, they forced him to serve alongside Ajit Pawar as the deputy chief minister, the editorial observes.
The editorial contrasts Fadnavis’s earlier words with his present posture and calls attention to them. “Fadnavis once said that he would lock Ajit Pawar up and make sure he received a harsh sentence. The editorial raises doubts about the continuity of Fadnavis’s political attitude by asking, “But what is Fadnavis doing precisely now by sharing power with the same Ajit Pawar?
The editorial goes on to say that Fadnavis is now surrounded by people who are being investigated for major corruption and assault claims against women. The Shiv Sena (UBT) urges Fadnavis to use care and pay attention to the people he associates with.
Chandrashekhar Bawankule, the head of the Maharashtra BJP, responded by criticizing the editorial’s tone and language and highlighting the need of keeping decorum when criticizing political opponents. Bawankule said that the BJP leadership would take action against “Saamana” after criticizing the journal for spreading what he called “vitriol.”
Bawankule charged Uddhav Thackeray of harboring bitterness and uncertainty as a result of losing the party and his position of power. He notably made reference to the party’s decision to break with Fadnavis in 2019 and said that Thackeray’s affiliation with the NCP and BJP demonstrated a recognition of past errors.
The BJP leader said, “There has to be a limit when criticizing political rivals in the media. Soon, our leaders will make a choice on this.Mumbai might see a scene akin to a protest.