Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has alleged that the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, led by Uddhav Thackeray, had planned to arrest BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis in a bid to weaken the party. In an exclusive interview with ANI, Shinde claimed that when he objected to the plan, he too became a target.
Shinde revealed that the plot was part of a larger strategy to put the BJP on the backfoot and potentially force its MLAs to join the MVA. “They had everything planned. I objected when they discussed arresting Fadnavis, which I felt was wrong. They justified it by saying Fadnavis had caused them trouble, so they needed to retaliate,” Shinde said. He further mentioned that after he raised concerns, the government allegedly plotted to implicate him in an urban land selling case.
During the interview, Shinde also accused the then Home Minister, Anil Deshmukh, of denying him Z-plus security despite threats from Naxalites in Gadchiroli. Shinde claimed that, even though intelligence and police forces recommended the security upgrade, Deshmukh refused to approve it. “Officials offered me off-the-record Z-plus security, but I declined, saying I wasn’t afraid,” he added.
Reflecting on the challenges he faced while serving as Minister for Urban Development during the MVA regime, Shinde pointed out that Uddhav Thackeray’s family members began interfering in his office’s work. “Thackeray was the Chief Minister and had the right to intervene, but when his family members started meddling, it crossed a line. When I raised the issue, instead of addressing it, Thackeray’s behavior towards me changed,” Shinde said.
In response to comparisons between him and Uddhav Thackeray, Shinde stated that governance requires direct engagement with the public. “Government doesn’t run from home or through social media. It requires face-to-face communication, understanding the people’s problems, and visiting them during crises,” he remarked.
Shinde also addressed speculation about the stability of his government, asserting that despite predictions from the opposition, his administration remains strong and has achieved significant progress. “Since our government took over, we’ve been criticized constantly, with claims that we’ll collapse. Yet, we’ve completed major projects like Samruddhi Mahamarg and Atal Setu in just two years,” Shinde said.
Regarding the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Shinde argued that the core Shiv Sena voter base has shifted away from the Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) faction. He claimed that the votes received by the UBT were largely from minority communities traditionally aligned with the Congress, describing this support as temporary.
In the last Lok Sabha elections, the INDIA bloc (comprising Congress, Shiv Sena-UBT, and NCP) secured 30 of Maharashtra’s 48 seats. However, Shinde remained confident that the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance’s vote share and strike rate would remain competitive in the future.
