In a sharp escalation of the ongoing political feud in Maharashtra, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and MLA Aaditya Thackeray launched a scathing attack on the rival Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction on Sunday. He accused them of dishonestly taking credit for the installation of a statue of the party's founder, Balasaheb Thackeray, at a prominent location in South Mumbai.
The Accusation of Stolen Credit
Aaditya Thackeray took to social media platform X to express his outrage after seeing a hoarding that attributed the statue's installation to the Shinde group. He did not mince words, labeling the members of the breakaway faction as "liars" and "shameless." Drawing a parallel to other projects, he stated that just as they were trying to claim credit for the Mumbai Coastal Road, they were now falsely asserting their role in erecting the statue of the revered Sena patriarch.
"You can see how much of a liar someone can be by looking at these shameless people," Aaditya Thackeray wrote in his post. He emphatically clarified the facts of the matter, asserting that the location at the Regal Cinema junction and the design of the statue were personally decided by his father, Uddhav Thackeray. Furthermore, he claimed that the installation was overseen by Uddhav Thackeray and that the funds for the project were also paid by him.
Uddhav Thackeray's Corroboration
Echoing his son's statements, Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray separately confirmed the claims. He stated, "I chose the place where the statue of Balasaheb was erected, at Regal Cinema junction. We also paid for it. Still, Shinde is taking credit." This direct statement from the former Chief Minister adds significant weight to the allegations, framing the issue as a clear case of one faction appropriating the legacy and efforts of the other.
Aaditya Thackeray's post concluded with a biting rhetorical question aimed at Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his supporters: "In Shinde's mirror, do they even see their own face, or is that stolen too?" This remark underscores the deep personal and political rift, suggesting that the Shinde faction has lost its original identity and is surviving on claims over the original Shiv Sena's achievements.
Deepening the Political Chasm
This incident is not an isolated one but part of a continuous battle for the political legacy of Balasaheb Thackeray since the split in the Shiv Sena in 2022. Both factions regularly engage in verbal duels, each claiming to be the true inheritors of the Thackeray legacy. The public installation of statues and hoardings becomes a symbolic battleground in this war of perception, aimed at convincing the party's traditional voter base.
The accusation of taking false credit for public works and memorials is a serious charge in Maharashtra's charged political landscape. It reflects the ongoing struggle for narrative control between the Uddhav Thackeray-led wing and the Shinde-led faction, which currently holds power in the state with the support of the BJP. Such statements ensure that the rivalry remains in public discourse, keeping the cadre mobilized and the conflict alive.
