EVEN as Uddhav Sena, in a rare act, Friday heaped praised on Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the party said that it should not be read as them changing strategy or warming up to the BJP, with which it has parted ways in 2019 after being in alliance for 25 years. “Our praise of the Chief Minister should not be read as any change in our strategy or any bid to get closer to BJP. There is no truth in such speculations,'' Sena (UBT) spokesperson Sanjay Raut told The Indian Express. Raut said the Shiv Sena (UBT) has always been a big-hearted party. “We have called a spade a spade.And at the same we have appreciated goods things done even by our rivals,” he said. Raut said the people have given the party the role of the opposition in the democracy. “People have put us in the opposition and we will perform our given duty with sincerity which is the hallmark of our democratic set up. Even if the ruling parties have grabbed power through unfair means, they are in power which cannot be denied,” he said. The Sena mouthpiece ''Saamana'' in its editorial on Friday congratulated Fadnavis for his efforts to eliminate Maoists in Naxal-affected Gadchiroli district. It was the first such praise of Fadnavis, who otherwise, had been severely criticised by the paper since 2019 after the two parties parted ways over the chief ministerial post. The criticism became more severe after Fadnavis broke the Sena in 2022. Subsequently, at his daily press briefing, Raut justified the praise heaped on Fadnavis by the paper and elaborated his party's stand. According to sources, the Sena UBT has softened its stand against Fadnavis after Assembly elections in November, especially in view of the “soured” relations between Fadnavis and Deputy CM and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde. Though Fadnavis broke the Sena, the party considers Shinde as its number one enemy as it was he who played into the hands of the BJP and broke the Sena into two a Uddhav Sena leader said. After the assembly elections when speculations were going around about the chief ministerial post, it was Sena UBT chief Uddhv Thackeray who was the first to state that Fadnavis should become the chief minister. Subsequently, Uddhav met Fadnavis and handed over a bouquet during the state legislature session in Nagpur. Uddhav and Sena UBT had, however, never shown such a gesture to Eknath Shinde. The party and Saamana had spared no effort to faulting Shinde at every given opportunity, a BJP leader said. “That is because Shinde and his party did nothing during their two-and-a-half year tenure. We would have praised them if they had done even semblance of good for Maharashtra,” Raut said. Raut said that if Fadnavis intends to make a Naxal-affected district like Gadchiroli a "steel city” by implementing development projects and is making efforts to eliminate the Maoists, the Sena will wholeheartedly welcome it “If a government does not belong to your ideology, but it has taken some good steps – especially regarding the law and order situation – and is working towards social equality, then it deserves praise,” Raut added. Eleven Naxals surrendered before the chief minister on Wednesday. “They deposited their arms and accepted the Constitution. Every Marathi manoos and India should feel proud of this achievement,” Raut added. The surrendered Naxalites, including senior cadre Vimla Chandra Sidam alias Tarakka, collectively carrying a bounty of Rs 1 crore, were involved in the activity for 34 years. Raut said the Sena had also praised Narendra Modi in the past. “When Prime Minister Narendra Modi did good work, we had praised him too. If Gadchiroli is going to see a development, then there is no reason Fadnavis should not be praised,” he explained. Meanwhile, Baramati MP and Nationalist Congress Party (SP) leader Supriya Sule told reporters in Pune that it appeared as though only Fadnavis was active in the state government. “Most ministers in the Mahayuti government are yet to take charge. For the last one month, it seemed only Fadnavis was in action mode,” she said.
