Several Sena (UBT) MPs, MLAs in touch with me, claims BJP leader Girish Mahajan

Mumbai: Senior BJP leader and Maharashtra minister Girish Mahajan on Sunday claimed several MPs and MLAs from the Shiv Sena (UBT) were in touch with him and that people do not trust Uddhav Thackeray's leadership.

Mahajan alleged Thackeray was a “palatibahaddar” (one who makes a u-turn) and his conduct was immature, amid the controversy over the implementation of the three-language policy in the state.

He also claimed that Uddhav Thackeray digressed from his father (Shiv Sena founder) Bal Thackeray’s ideology in his desire to become chief minister (in 2019) and ruined his political future.

The BJP leader's comments came a day after Uddhav Thackeray and his cousin Raj Thackeray, who heads the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), shared the stage at a rally in Mumbai for the first time in nearly two decades.

The event followed the BJP-led ruling Mahayuti's decision to withdraw two Government Resolutions (GRs) issued earlier by the government introducing Hindi as a third language from Class 1 in state schools.

“Even today, several MLAs and MPs from the Uddhav Thackeray group are in contact with me,” Mahajan claimed while talking to reporters in Solapur on Sunday.

“If you don’t believe me, you will witness this for yourself very soon,” he added.

Mahajan claimed there is no trust left in Thackeray’s leadership.

Last month, while announcing the withdrawal of the two GRs, Fadnavis alleged that as the then chief minister, Uddhav Thackeray had accepted the recommendations of the Dr Raghunath Mashelkar committee to introduce a three-language policy from class 1 to 12 and set up a committee on the policy implementation.

Uddhav Thackeray later dismissed the claim, saying he had appointed a study group on Mashelkar panel suggestions, but the group did not hold even a single meeting.

Referring to the issue, Mahajan said, “It was Uddhav Thackeray’s own government that approved the decision to implement Hindi. The cabinet passed the resolution and the file had his signature. Now he is opposing the very decision he once supported. This is a clear U-turn.”

Calling Uddhav Thackeray a “palatibahaddar”, Mahajan claimed his conduct was immature.

He has changed his stance only to oppose the present government. The results of the upcoming zilla parishad, panchayat samiti and municipal elections will show how much public trust each leader holds,” he said.

Mahajan also accused Uddhav Thackeray of abandoning his father Bal Thackeray’s ideology.

“He sidelined Balasaheb’s Hindutva to join hands with Sharad Pawar’s NCP and the Congress (after the 2019 state assembly polls). In his desire to become chief minister, he has ruined his own political future,” the BJP leader claimed.