At a lively Dussehra rally in Mumbai’s Goregaon on Thursday, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde fired sharp criticism at his former boss, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray. Shinde, the Shiv Sena chief, mocked Thackeray’s recent jabs about his photo appearing on aid packets for flood victims in Maharashtra.
Shinde hit back hard, saying the opposition gets hung up on the pictures but ignores what’s really inside those packets. “Shiv Sena is out there wiping away the tears of flood-hit families,” he told the cheering crowd at the Nesco Centre. “We’ve delivered 26 essential items, from wheat and rice to dal, sugar, sarees, and blankets for our sisters. Did Thackeray even hand out a single biscuit?”
He defended party workers snapping photos while helping during the Maharashtra floods, calling it a natural part of their efforts. “Our activists post pics because they’re on the ground, making a real difference,” Shinde said. He accused Thackeray of showing up for photo ops and leaving quickly, without sticking around like true Shiv Sainiks. “Some folks roll in with gimmicks in their vanity vans, but we send the aid trucks first—then I go,” he added.
Shinde didn’t hold back, taking a dig at Thackeray for what he sees as hands-off leadership. “I’m no one who works from home or does Facebook Lives,” he quipped. He invoked the legacy of Balasaheb Thackeray, the Shiv Sena founder, who taught that real party members show up at people’s doorsteps during crises, not just in good times.
Turning to the devastation from recent floods in Maharashtra, Shinde painted a vivid picture of farmers’ struggles. “Our Baliraja—the farmers—are suffering big time. Their crops are ruined, livestock swept away, homes collapsed, and tears fill their eyes,” he said. Shinde shared how he visited the fields himself to witness the damage firsthand. Under Shiv Sena’s motto—80% social work, 20% politics—the party has rallied to provide relief vehicles loaded with food grains, water, and fodder to affected villages.
He recalled Shiv Sena’s history of stepping up during past droughts and floods in Maharashtra, always rushing aid to those in need. “Where there’s a crisis, Shiv Sena is there. Where there’s disaster, your Eknath Shinde won’t stay away,” Shinde declared. “Helping people is our core policy.”
In a direct call to action, Shinde urged his workers to skip the rally if needed and focus on aiding flood victims instead of just showing strength. “Serve the people first,” he stressed. To top it off, he promised no “black Diwali” for those hit by the Maharashtra floods—full support will arrive before the festival.
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