'those who criticised bhujbal sit on his lap': saamna daily mocks fadnavis, shinde - the statesman

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena’s Marathi daily ‘Saamna’ has ridiculed the BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena for inducting the Ajit Pawar-led NCP’s Chhagan Bhujbal into the cabinet

ministry on Tuesday. An editorial carried in the Uddhav Sena-run Marathi daily on Wednesday stated that all those who had criticised Bhujbal in the past will now have to “swallow their

criticism and sit with him in the cabinet”. Advertisement “Bhujbal, who once fought for the identity of Maharashtra, faced imprisonment, and raised the issues of Marathi people with great

enthusiasm, had to join the Mahayuti and become its minister in the last phase of his life. This can be called his tragedy. Bhujbal’s entry into the cabinet is a tragedy not only for him but

for many others. Fadnavis and Eknath Shinde had a political rivalry with Bhujbal. They had openly expressed their opposition to Bhujbal’s entry into the cabinet. However, Bhujbal got into

the cabinet and now they (Fadnavis and Shinde) have no option but to sit with him,” the ‘Saamna’ editorial stated. Advertisement The ‘Saamna’ editorial reminded how Deputy Chief Minister

Eknath Shinde had questioned Uddhav Thackeray about how he could sit in cabinet meetings with Chhagan Bhujbal who had arrested Uddhav’s father Balasaheb Thackeray. “But now Amit Shah and

Fadnavis have put Shinde in such a dilemma that if he has any true loyalty to the Shiv Sena chief, then he must resign. Otherwise, he will have no option but to sit with Bhujbal in the

cabinet. Shinde not only attended Bhujbal’s oath-taking ceremony but also felicitated him by giving him a bouquet. Bhujbal’s entry into the cabinet is a warning to Shinde and his men,” the

editorial stated. “Among the reasons given by Eknath Shinde for leaving the undivided Shiv Sena and accepting Amit Shah’s leadership was that it would not be possible for them to sit on

Bhujbal’s lap,” the editorial reminded. “A very testing moment has come in Deputy Chief Minister Shinde’s life, and he should go to his party chief Amit Shah’s door and complain about it.

Devendra Fadnavis has included Chhagan Bhujbal in the cabinet, and Eknath Shinde will have to sit on Bhujbal’s lap from now on,” the editorial suggested. “Fadnavis used to deliberately

mention that Bhujbal has not been acquitted in the money laundering case, but has only been released on bail. However, today the picture is that both leaders, Bhujbal and Ajit Pawar, are in

the cabinet. BJP people are strengthening the foundation of corruption by rubbing ‘Devendra Ratan’ oil on their thighs,” the ‘Saamna’ editorial stated. “Fadnavis and Shinde were so disgusted

with Ajit Pawar and Bhujbal, but time has taken a terrible revenge on both of them. Bhujbal was accused by the Enforcement Directorate of money laundering. BJP leader Kirit Somaiya levelled

a series of allegations against Bhujbal. Fadnavis and others were the ones who inspired Kirit Somaiya to make such accusations against Bhujbal. Now, the same corrupt Kirit Somaiya will be

seen with Bhujbal,” the ‘Saamna’ editorial pointed out. Advertisement