The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) has trained its guns on NCP leader and Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar for splitting up the party, stating he would soon replace Eknath Shinde as the chief minister.
Highlighting a potential twist in the political environment of Maharashtra, Shiv Sena (UBT) mouthpiece mouthpiece 'Saamana' said Ajit Pawar joined hands with BJP to replace chief minister Eknath Shinde, who last year broke Shiv Sena to switch sides.
An editorial in 'Saamana' claimed the BJP under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah has not only "muddied" politics of Maharashtra but also of the country.
"Ajit Pawar has a made a record of taking oath as deputy chief minister. This time the deal is strong," it said.
"Pawar has not gone there for the deputy CM's post. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and rebel MLAs of the Sena would be disqualified soon and Pawar would be coronated," it claimed.
"This new development will not go down well with the people of the state. The state had no such political tradition and it will never be supported by the people," it said.
Ajit Pawar's somersault is dangerous for CM Shinde, the Marathi daily claimed.
It said when Shinde and other MLAs left the Shiv Sena (last year), they blamed the party president and (then) chief minister Uddhav Thackeray for not controlling then-finance minister Ajit Pawar who had taken immense control over fund disbursement and sanctioning work orders. "The primary reason, according to the rebel MLAs, was 'we left the Shiv Sena because of the NCP," the editorial said.
"What will they do now? During the swearing-in ceremony (of Ajit Pawar on Sunday), the expressions on their faces (of Shinde bloc members) made it evident that their future is dark," it claimed.
"Their so-called Hindutva is now over. The day is not very far when Shinde and his rebel colleagues will be disqualified, is the true meaning of Sunday's development," Samaana claimed.
"Those who possess the arrogance of power and believe they can buy out their opposition are taking control of democracy. These people are not even ready to hold elections for 14 municipal corporations in the state, including Mumbai city," it said.
"The (previous) Congress regime and the British rule were much better as one could fight with them on the street openly. Ajit Pawar has not decided to support Shinde on any moral ground," it added.
The editorial also hit out at BJP leader and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, claiming he had said they will never join hands with NCP, "the party of corrupts" and that Ajit Pawar was facing allegations in an irrigation scam worth Rs 70,000 crore. "This swearing-in has exposed the BJP's true face," it said.
Refusing to accept that Sunday's developments came as a surprise for everyone, the editorial claimed some people were already aware of this "earthquake".
"What happened to the Shiv Sena a year ago is now happening to the NCP. As NCP chief Sharad Pawar said, there will be a new day tomorrow," the editorial said, adding it was not an earthquake but minor tremors.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray too took to Twitter to hit out against the Shinde government, saying the "failed double engine government" now has a "third wheel."
He said the fight in politics in the current times was between selfish and principled.
"The original "gaddars" (traitors), a reference to 40 Shiv Sena MLAs, "were dreaming desperately of a cabinet berth, sat there today watching nine others take oath, but none could be ministers again". The failed double engine government in Maharashtra now has a third wheel," Thackeray said.
He added the development proves that Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is as incompetent as ever. "The original gaddaars backstabbed us on the pretext that NCP leaders and ministers from their districts didn't let them work," it said.
"It's clear from today's politics that the fight is going to be selfish vs principled. Those who have gone, have only gone for selfish reasons, and we will fight for selfless and principled politics!" Thackeray said.