Addressing 'Eknath Parv', he said his tenure as chief minister between June 2022 and end-2024 saw several welfare schemes, including the flagship Lakdi Bahin Yojana under which women with an annual family income of less that Rs 2.5 lakh get Rs 1500 as monthly aid
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. File Pic
The Shiv Sena was getting stronger with every passing day and leaders from all parties were joining it, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said on Saturday.
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Addressing 'Eknath Parv', he said his tenure as chief minister between June 2022 and end-2024 saw several welfare schemes, including the flagship Lakdi Bahin Yojana under which women with an annual family income of less that Rs 2.5 lakh get Rs 1500 as monthly aid.
In a veiled swipe at Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, the deputy CM said he was on the ground during the COVID-19 pandemic "while some stayed at home".
Shinde and BJP leaders have often accused Thackeray, who was chief minister during the pandemic, of running the administration from Matoshree, his home in Mumbai's Bandra area.
"The Shiv Sena is getting stronger day by day and leaders from various parties are joining us everyday. The winds may try (to extinguish), but the lamp of Shiv Sena will keep burning," Shinde said.
Uddhav Thackeray is like Nero who played fiddle when Rome burned: Eknath Shinde
Taking swipes at Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Friday likened him to "Nero who played the fiddle while Rome burned".
Speaking at a 'thanksgiving rally' of his party, the Shiv Sena, at Junnar in Pune district, Shinde said he was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth, but he was born to bring golden days in the lives of common people.
He wanted to make the common man "superman," said Shinde, who rebelled against Uddhav Thackeray and split the Shiv Sena in June 2022, bringing down the Thackeray-led Maharashtra government.
"They feel happy when people quit (and label) those who quit as garbage and traitors. When Rome was burning, Nero was playing the fiddle. Their case is similar," Shinde said, targeting Thackeray, his former boss.
"These people feel happy when the houses of other people burn, and also when their own house burns," Shinde added.
He was referring to recent exits of several leaders including former MLAs from the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena (UBT).
Shinde also asked party workers to gear up for local body polls across the state which have been pending for almost three years now.
(With inputs from PTI)
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