Exclusive/ Uddhav Thackeray Likely To Join Cong To Become Maharashtra CM, Claims Sanjay Nirupam

Mumbai: In an exclusive interaction with Republic, leader of Shiv Sena - led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde - Sanjay Nirupam, on Tuesday, claimed that Shiv Sena Chief (UBT) Uddhav Thackeray was likely to join the Congress to become the Chief Minister of Maharashtra.

Nirupam also suggested that there was a conspiracy behind the recent collapse of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue, alleging that NCP (CP) supremo Sharad Pawar was behind the plan.

Nirupam claimed that the Maha Vikas Aghadi, after the statue’s collapse, even surveyed to assess the political advantage they gained in terms of votes.

MVA Creating Wedge Over Shivaji Statue Collapse Ahead of Polls: Narayan Rane

BJP leader and former Union minister Narayan Rane accused the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi of creating a wedge in Maharashtra over the collapse of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's statue ahead of the state assembly polls.

The statue of the 17th-century Maratha warrior king at Rajkot fort in Malvan tehsil fell on August 26, over eight months after PM Modi unveiled it on the occasion of Navy Day.

Rane, a former chief minister, also accused Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut of inciting tensions over the issue.

Dubbing the incident as unfortunate, Rane said, "The three parties (Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress and NCP (SP)) are working to create a wedge in the state over the collapse of the statue ahead of the state polls." The MVA held a protest march from Hutatma Chowk to Gateway of India on Sunday to protest the episode.

Opposition leaders who took part in the march slammed the Union and state governments over the statue crash. Thackeray dismissed Modi's apology as one "smacking of arrogance." Pawar alleged the statue episode was an example of corruption.

Targeting Sharad Pawar, Rane said the four-time chief minister could not address the issue of Maratha reservation despite being in power for so long.

(with PTI inputs)