Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has strongly condemned Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray for his alleged ‘neech’ remarks. Speaking at a rally in Buldhana, Shinde asserted that Thackeray’s comments were an insult not only to him but to all farmers’ sons, the poor, and the society he represents. “If a farmer’s son, a common laborer becomes the chief minister then you don’t like it, you are unable to digest it,” Shinde said. “This is not an insult to me, it is an insult to all the farmers’ sons, it is an insult to the mothers and sisters of the poor and it is an insult to the society from which I come.”
Shinde expressed faith that the people will respond to Thackeray’s remarks through the ballot box in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections 2024. He appealed to voters to support his party, stating, “I have faith that the people will respond to it through the ballot box on April 26.”
In addition to his criticism of Thackeray, Shinde also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. Addressing a Vijay Sankalp Sabha in Nanded, Maharashtra, Shinde hailed Modi’s efforts to bring Ram Rajya to India and highlighted his commitment to the betterment of the nation.
“The people of the country are eager to make Modi ji the Prime Minister again,” Shinde said. “PM Modi’s leadership is shining in the nation as the sun shines upon this earth. This is a matter of great pride for us. Modi ji has tried to bring not only Ram Temple but Ram Rajya in this country.”
Shinde contrasted Modi’s focus on national progress with the internal divisions within the Congress party. “While PM Modi is working for the betterment of the country, Congress, on the other hand, is busy solving its internal issues,” Shinde said.
The Lok Sabha elections 2024 for the five parliamentary seats in Maharashtra were held in the first phase of polling on April 19. The state, with its 48 Lok Sabha seats, is the second-largest contributor to the lower house of Parliament after Uttar Pradesh. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP won 23 out of 25 contested seats, while the undivided Shiv Sena secured 18 out of 23 seats. The undivided NCP, part of the opposition alliance, contested 19 seats and won four in 2019 Lok Sabha election. Following the split in the Shiva Sena 2022, the Eknath Shinde faction aligned with the BJP.
