“They have the Surya Chakra, we have Sudarshan Chakra,” Uddhav Thackeray said in his interview.
Mumbai:
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, reacting to a corruption investigation against a leader of his Shiv Sena, has thrown a challenge and a warning at former ally BJP.
“Even we have information on you,” the Chief Minister said in an interview to his party’s mouthpiece Saamana, to mark one year of the Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition that he formed with Sharad Pawar’s NCP and the Congress.
Shiv Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik and his son Vihang Sarnaik are being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate over allegations of money laundering linked to a company in the business of providing security guards. The agency is examining what it believes are “suspicious deals” between the company and Pratap Sarnaik.
The Shiv Sena has accused the BJP of using central agencies for political vendetta. Pratap Sarnaik is among the prominent voices that sought an investigation into Sushant Singh Rajput’s death. He also made headlines with his demand for legal action against actor Kangana Ranaut for “maligning the image” of the Maharashtra government.
“They have the Surya Chakra, we have Sudarshan Chakra,” Uddhav Thackeray said in his interview.
“I am quiet but that does not mean I am weak. Maharashtra and Bengal are revolutionary states. We never tolerate injustice. Do politics as much as you want. But if you misuse power, remember that power will not remain with you forever,” the Chief Minister continued.
“Remember cases were filed against you too and Balasaheb (Sena founder Bal Thackeray) stood up for you.”
The Shiv Sena broke up with long-time ally BJP last year following a dispute over power-sharing after the two won the Maharashtra election. The Sena then tied up with the ideologically opposite NCP and Congress. Over the past year, the friction between the former partners has worsened.
The BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis, former Chief Minister, has dared the Sena to send a list of “120 BJP leaders” to the Enforcement Directorate as its senior leader Sanjay Raut had threatened. “I had dared Raut to send the list. Today he said that he will send the list. We are waiting for it,” Mr Fadnavis said on Wednesday.
