BJP’s Bawankule rejects Uddhav’s ‘muster minister’ jibe, says Fadnavis’ masterstroke ensured his downfall

“I feel sorry for Devendra Fadnavis. He has been reduced to a muster minister,” Thackeray said Sunday, implying that the deputy chief minister’s job is now to keep a record of people leaving other parties to join the BJP.

“First they split the Shiv Sena and then the NCP. Now, we hear their target is to split the Congress,” Thackeray said at a joint meeting of Sena (UBT) and Sambhaji Brigade workers. He also attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “dictatorial rule” and support for “make and break” politics.

In response, Bawankule said, “Fadnavis is not a muster minister but plays masterstroke.” “It was Fadnavis’ masterstroke,” he continued, “that ensured Thackeray’s downfall as chief minister and returning home.”

Bawankule said that Thackeray had failed to keep his own party united. “One who cannot look after the party founded by his own father (Bal Thackeray) has no right to speak about the BJP,” he said, alleging that the former chief minister had also kept the party’s core Hindutva ideology on the back burner.

“When the Supreme Court verdict allowing the construction of a Ram temple (at Ayodhya) came, thousands of devotees were celebrating. But the Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA government arrested them. The Thackerays changed their ideology and devotion to Lord Ram also for power, which is shocking. The people are watching them and their double standards,” the BJP leader said.

Bawankule added that despite differences, Thackeray had shaken hands with the Congress to become the chief minister and put on hold all Hindutva issues that were close to Shiv Sianiks’ hearts. “In the 2024 Lok Sabha and Assembly polls, people will teach them a lesson. Whatever little is left of the Shiv Sena (UBT) will get wiped out,” he added.