Uddhav Thackeray using ‘Saamana’ to attack Fadnavis out of frustration: Maharashtra BJP chief

As party workers burnt copies of the Sena (UBT) mouthpiece, Chandrashekhar Bawankule said BJP ‘believes in freedom, but there’s a limit’.

By: Express News Service

Mumbai | Updated: August 20, 2023 04:57 PM IST

3 min read

Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule (File)

Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule said that Saamna editorials were written by Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut, who is also the weekly’s executive editor. (File)

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After an editorial in Saamna said Devendra Fadnavis had grown arrogant and intolerant since becoming the Maharashtra deputy chief minister, the ruling BJP warned the Shiv Sena (UBT) mouthpiece of legal action and burnt its copies at several places in Mumbai on Saturday.

“The attack against Fadnavis is an outcome of the growing frustration of Uddhav Thackeray. They know they have not only lost power but will never return to power again,” state BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule said. “The BJP believes in freedom. But there is a limit. If the Shiv Sena (UBT), using Saamna, crosses its limits, it will not go uncontested. The BJP will consider taking legal action and street protests.”

Bawankule said that Saamna editorials were written by Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut, who is also the weekly’s executive editor. “But what is written has the consent of Thackeray. It is at Thackeray’s behest that the BJP and its leaders are attacked,” he said.

“Thackeray has realised that he lost power and the party. Everything has slipped from his hand. And what is worse, he knows he will never come back to power. This realisation is causing frustration daily. And Thackeray has let that frustration come out through writings in Saamna, the BJP leader said.

Bawankule said the people of the state had seen Fadnavis’s hard work when he was chief minister from 2014 to 2019. “They know how hard and sincerely he works as deputy CM in charge of the home department,” he added.

Also read | Uddhav Thackeray: The reluctant politician who in the end hung on to chair too long

The Saamna editorial also said that when he was chief minister, Fadnavis was tolerant and cool-headed.

Bawankule further said the (undivided) Shiv Sena betrayed the BJP after their alliance won the 2019 Assembly polls. “Thackeray became the CM after joining hands with the Congress and the NCP. They went to the extent of compromising on the ideology of Hindutva. However, Thackeray lost the CM post after the split in the Shiv Sena and the MVA (government) was dislodged,” he went on.

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Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar said Thackeray would never interact with people while chief minister. “Fadnavis is a working deputy chief minister. He works round the clock. He travels across the state and Mantralay, whereas Thackeray as CM was confined to his home, Matoshree. He never stepped out nor interacted with the public,” he said.

BJP MLA Atul Bhatkhalkar led a protest against the Sena (UBT) and Saamna at Kandivali.

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