In the realm of political discourse, the city of Nagpur witnessed a spectacle when Uddhav Thackeray, the luminary of Shive Sena (UBT), extended an invitation to Nitin Gadkari, the Union Minister, to partake in the imminent Lok Sabha elections under the banner of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). Reacting to this overture, Maharashtra’s deputy chief minister, Devendra Fadnavis, dismissed it as ‘ridiculous and laughable,’ contending that Thackeray himself struggled to maintain cohesion within his own political enclave.
Thackeray, addressing a public congregation on a fateful Friday, asserted that Gadkari ought to sever ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), alleging that the party’s hierarchy had snubbed him by omitting his name from the initial roster of candidates unveiled a few days prior.
In a fervent plea, Thackeray implored Gadkari to align himself with the MVA and vie for electoral success, cautioning him against ‘kowtowing to Delhi.’ He drew a historical parallel, likening this defiance to Chhatrapati Shivaji’s resistance against the dominion of Delhi.
Fadnavis, delivering his perspective at a public event in Nagpur that same Friday, underscored Gadkari’s stature as a national leader. He affirmed that, once the central leadership declared the BJP candidates for Maharashtra, Gadkari’s name would naturally occupy a prominent position in the initial list. Fadnavis, in a critical appraisal of Thackeray’s leadership, underscored the Sena leader’s inability to forge unity within his own ranks, dismissing the proposal to Gadkari as nonsensical.
Thackeray, rebuking the BJP’s high echelons, censured them for excluding Gadkari from the inaugural list of Lok Sabha candidates. He juxtaposed this with the inclusion of Kripashankar Singh, facing allegations in a disproportionate assets case, as a candidate contesting from Jaunpur in Uttar Pradesh. Thackeray extolled Gadkari’s past contributions and steadfast loyalty to the BJP, expressing dismay over the delayed announcement of his candidacy. Urging Gadkari to eschew the influence of Delhi, Thackeray implored him to align with the Maha Vikas Aghadi, emphasizing their collective responsibility to champion his candidacy.