I Reasoned With Uddhav A Lot To Not Ally With Congress: Eknath Shinde
Mumbai: In the lead-up to the Maharashtra Assembly polls, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has attributed the Shiv Sena split to Uddhav Thackeray, accusing him of betraying Balasaheb Thackeray’s ideals by aligning with Congress for personal interests.
Shinde stated that the Mahavikas Aghadi (MVA) government’s policies were misaligned with Balasaheb’s vision, whereas the alliance between Shiv Sena and the BJP was the rightful path forward.
In an exclusive interview with ANI, Shinde explained that his move to form a coalition with the BJP stemmed from a need to bring change and serve Maharashtra’s people.
“Uddhav’s alliance with Congress went against Balasaheb’s wishes,” Shinde said. “We wanted a Shiv Sena-BJP government, but it initially failed. Eventually, our MLAs saw no progress in their constituencies and realized that a change was needed to address the needs of the people.”
Shinde highlighted the achievements of the Mahayuti government, which he said had revived stalled projects and boosted Maharashtra’s economic standing. Under his leadership, Maharashtra saw projects such as metro extensions, bullet train initiatives, and highways resume, attracting over ₹5 lakh crore in investments. He noted that Maharashtra now leads in GDP, FDI, GST, and cleanliness metrics.
Reflecting on the government’s welfare initiatives, Shinde expressed pride in prioritizing public welfare over personal gains. “Our focus has been on farmers, workers, youth, and development projects from day one. We’ve allocated ₹15,000 crore in aid to farmers and introduced welfare programs like the Ladli Bahna Yojana, offering stipends and free higher education for girls.”
When questioned about opposition claims that his administration is a “puppet” of the central government, Shinde pointed to the positive impact of Maharashtra’s “double-engine” government, which he said has brought substantial support from the centre.
“Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have acknowledged our efforts. The centre and state working in tandem has greatly benefited Maharashtra,” he said, stressing his commitment to directly engaging with citizens and addressing their needs.
Taking a veiled jab at the previous MVA regime, Shinde emphasized that governance should involve active, responsive engagement with citizens, not simply “running the government through Facebook Live.” He added, “For me, being CM is about serving people, not just sitting in an office. Our government listens, acts, and puts the people’s needs first.”
The Maharashtra Assembly elections are scheduled for November 20, with the vote count for all 288 constituencies on November 23.
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