Nagpur: Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Monday condemned Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray’s ‘taint’ jibe at Maharashtra deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, saying personal allegations at such a low level does not suit the political culture of the state.
On Monday, Uddhav Thackeray attacked Fadnavis and said the BJP leader was a “kalank” (taint) on Nagpur as he had aligned with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) despite asserting he would never do so. Playing an old audio clip of Fadnavis stating that he would never join hands with the NCP, Thackeray told party workers in Nagpur that Fanavis’s “no means yes”.
“The situation of Devendra Fadnavis has become so strange that it is unbearable and indescribable, once he said, ‘I will come again’. But, he brought two more people with him. Who are those two people? Devendra Fadnavis is a taint on Nagpur,” the former Maharashtra chief minister said.
Reacting to Thackeray’s remarks, Gadkari said the language used by the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief for Fadnavis was reprehensible and asserted that the “level of language” should be maintained in politics.
“They can discuss the development works done we are in government and when they (MVA) were in power. But levelling personal allegations at such a low level does not suit the political culture of Maharashtra,” the Nagpur MP tweeted.
Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha workers raised slogans against Thackeray after tearing his posters near the Nagpur airport. A local BJP leader said they will stage demonstrations on Tuesday morning in the city against the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader.
Thackeray and Fadnavis have been in a bitter war of words since 2019.
Thackeray also took a veiled swipe at the Eknath Shinde faction by claiming some people were using the name of Bal Thackeray as they know Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s name will not work in Maharashtra.
