Maharashtra Chief Minister (CM) Devendra Fadnavis launched a veiled attack on cousins Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray on Tuesday and took a swipe at them for coining the term “Thackeray Brand”.
The CM claimed that the late Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray was the true brand.“Today, there is only one brand: Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi,” Fadnavis said.
Referring to the recently concluded Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) credit society elections, Fadnavis remarked, “They [Thackeray cousins] were exposed and defeated badly.” He was speaking at the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP’s) conclave in Worli, Mumbai.
The BEST credit society election results came as a setback for the Shiv Sena (UBT), led by Uddhav, and the Raj-headed Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), as their joint panel failed to win a single seat out of 21, despite the majority of voters being Maharashtrians. Using a popular Marathi phrase, Fadnavis said, “Tyancha band vazla”, indicating that the two cousins were embarrassed by the poll outcome.
Burying their 20-year-long differences, Raj and Uddhav announced to come together for the “Marathi cause and pride”. The BEST credit society elections were seen as the first litmus test for the duo as Raj and Uddhav had come together and formed a panel for the BEST credit society polls.
Fadnavis also criticised the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) for depleting the Marathi population in Mumbai. “The Marathi population has been reduced; who is responsible for it? I am sure they [UBT Sena] cannot answer this question,” he said, holding his friend turned political foe Uddhav responsible for the migration of Marathi-speaking residents from Mumbai.
