Sharad Pawar claims he forced Uddhav Thackeray to become CM; slams Fadnavis

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad Pawar on Saturday said that he had urged Uddhav Thackey to become Maharashtra Chief Minister two years ago when Shiv Sena-Congress-NCP alliance Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) was formulated. His remarks came hours after BJP leader and ex-CM Devendra Fadnavis claimed that Uddhav had ambitions of becoming CM but kept pushing Shiv Sainik for the post.

Pawar claimed that Thackeray was selected as the CM by the leaders of MVA. "When we held a meeting to form the MVA and to discuss the leadership of the alliance, I forced him (Uddhav Thackeray) to become the chief minister. I have seen these people since their childhood," the NCP chief stated, adding that Balasaheb Thackeray and he had political differences but they were close.

'Forced Uddhav' to take CM's post'

"I thought why not the son of a person who had contributed for Maharashtra should become the CM and I insisted Uddhav Thackeray to become the chief minister. Fadnavis had worked with Uddhav so he knows how Uddhav is. He should stop questioning repeatedly about how Uddhav became CM," Sharad Pawar said.

Targeting the BJP government, Pawar said that the Central government is misusing agencies to sabotage the MVA government in Maharashtra. He said that the Bharatiya Janata Party is silent on rising fuel prices and accused them of not lowering petrol and diesel rates despite the downtick in international crude prices.

Fadnavis calls MVA 'most corrupt government'

Pawar's support for Thackeray comes at a time when Devendra Fadnavis attacked the Shiv Sena for indulging in 'dishonesty' with people's votes. In the 2019 Assembly polls, Shiv Sena and BJP had formed a pre-poll alliance. After the elections, Shiv Sena parted ways with the BJP. 

"Out of the seats that we fought together, the BJP had won nearly 70 per cent seats and the Shiv Sena had won 45% seats. Hence, you indulged in dishonesty with the people's vote and came to power," Fadnavis said.

He also claimed that Thackeray had ambitions of taking the top post. "If you really did not want to become a CM, then why Narayan Rane had to leave Shiv Sena? Rane did not want to become the party chief. Also, why Raj Thackeray had to leave Shiv Sena?" Fadnavis asked.

Addressing the annual Dusshera rally, Thackeray accused BJP of misusing central agency. He also attacked BJP's brand of Hindutva. He also claimed that the state is being painted as the drugs business is booming here only, a reference to NCB's recent raid on Cordelia cruise ship.