Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde takes charge at Mantralaya

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde officially took charge of his post at the state secretariat Mantralaya on Thursday.

A puja was held at the tastefully decorated office of the chief minister before Shinde took charge. His chamber had a large photograph of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray and a picture of Shindes mentor Anand Dighe next to it.

As soon as he entered the secretariat building, Shinde paid floral tributes to Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Dr B R Ambedkar.

Speaking to reporters, Deepak Kesarkar, spokesperson of the Shinde-led faction of MLAs, said Bal Thackeray was nobodys property.

“Balasaheb belongs to the entire state and nobody can change this fact,” he said, when asked about the Uddhav Thackeray-led factions objection to the use of the late Sena founders name and photograph by the Shinde group.

Targeting Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut, Kesarkar said, “Raut is closer to Sharad Pawar, I dont know about Uddhavji. When I realised that the Shiv Sena is facing problems in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA- comprising the Sena, NCP and Congress), I tried to convince Uddhavji. I have never met him for a ministerial post.” “In 2014, he had told me he was unable to make me a cabinet minister because he had to give first priority to Sena leaders who had worked with Balasaheb. That is why I respect Uddhavji,” he said.

Kesarkar also criticised the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Senas decision to replace Bhavana Gawali as the partys chief whip in the Lok Sabha. “With such an action, you are insulting women. She is a five-time MP, who has held the Shiv Sena flag high,” he said.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led faction on Wednesday nominated Rajan Vichare as the partys chief whip in the Lok Sabha, replacing Gawali.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Federal staff and is auto-published from a syndicated feed.)