Fadnavis mocks Uddhav Thackeray's Dussehra speech; 'He should change scriptwriter now'

Taking a swipe at Uddhav Thackeray over his Dussehra address, Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis advised him to change his 'scriptwriter'. Addressing a media briefing in Nagpur on Thursday, he contended that the former Maharashtra CM repeated the same dialogues in every speech. For the first time in its history, Shiv Sena held two Dussehra rallies this year with Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde addressing lakhs of people at Shivaji Park and BKC ground in Mumbai respectively. 

Devendra Fadnavis remarked, "He should change his scriptwriter. He speaks the same thing at every gathering. He should at least say something new. Then, you ask for our response. If you know him, please tell him to change the script. How many times will he spout the same dialogue?" 

Uddhav Thackeray hits out at Eknath Shinde & BJP

In his 43-minute-long speech on Wednesday, Uddhav Thackeray described Eknath Shinde as 'Katappa'- a character in the Baahubali film for betraying him when he was unwell. He said, "As time changes, Ravan's face also changes. Today, it is the traitors (who are Ravan). When I was unwell and underwent surgery, I had given the responsibility to him (Shinde). But he conspired against me thinking I will never stand up on my feet again". He also offered to quit as the Shiv Sena president if the party cadre puts forth this demand.

Targeting Shinde, he lamented, "There is a limit to lust for power...After the act of treachery, he now wants the party, its symbol and also wants to be called the party president". Stressing the need to defeat the Shiv Sena rebels in every election, he resolved to make a party leader the Chief Minister again. On this occasion, he reiterated that Union Home Minister Amit Shah had promised him that BJP and Shiv Sena will share the CM post for two and a half years. This claim has repeatedly been denied by BJP leaders including Shah. 

Thackeray made it clear that he formed the MVA government with Congress and NCP in 2019 simply to teach a lesson to BJP for breaking its promises. He also attempted to distinguish between the Hindutva professed by Shiv Sena against that of the saffron party. Slamming PM Modi and Lal Krishna Advani for their visit to Pakistan in the past, he claimed that BJP rakes up Hindutva to divert attention from poverty, unemployment and inflation. The Eknath Shinde-BJP combine and the Thackeray faction will face off in the Andheri East bypoll on November 3. 

(With PTI inputs)