AURANGABAD: Ramesh Bornare, rebel Shiv Sena MLA from Vaijapur in Maharashtra's Aurangabad district, on Tuesday said he stood firmly with Eknath Shinde, who has revolted against Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, as he knew the Thane strongman "won't let anything bad happen to us".
Attacking the present leadership of the party, Bornare said it should introspect on why "51 MLAs" have joined Shinde, a number that is yet to be verified.
Attacking a coterie in the party, he claimed, "People around Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray don't allow me to meet him.
Leaders like Sanjay Raut have used objectionable language against us.
However, we know Shinde won't let anything bad happen to us" "My stand is final and Eknath Shinde is my leader. My constituency got funds of Rs 400 crore from various (Maha Vikas Aghadi) departments in the past two-and-half years due to my skills and the help given by Shinde," Bornare told PTI over phone from Guwahati.
He said the Sena MLAs, including himself, were elected in the 2019 Assembly polls while the party was in alliance with the BJP, adding that he had decided to go ahead on the path of Hindutva as "I felt bad sitting with those (Congress and NCP) who we had defeated".
"I have taken this decision (of joining Shinde) for the development of my constituency. I don't intend to stay MLA for long, but want that people remember me for the development work I do in my tenure. The Shiv Sena (leadership) should introspect why such a large number of MLAs are now with Shinde," he said.