MUMBAI: In view of negative publicity, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde reprimanded his minister and asked them not to make any controversial statements. Maharashtra CM had a meeting with his faction’s ministers and MLAs where he told them to not skirt any controversy.
“I am chief minister of Maharashtra still I am not making any statements on sensitive issues. But you people are making all sorts of statements that are creating negative perceptions about our factions among people. Unless I say, no one should speak with the media. You should avoid speaking with the media about every issue,” Shinde told his ministers.
Shinde further told his ministers that they are fighting the long legal battle against Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena and their one statement can change the scenario. “Shinde wants to win the perception battle against Uddhav Thackeray. At present, there is a lot of public sympathy towards Uddhav Thackeray, and Shinde has been perceived as the villain who snatched the chair of Thackeray. Shinde wants to change this perception by winning many hearts and close associates of Uddhav Thackeray, but his ministers are continuously stoking the controversy and diverting the agenda,” said a senior leader close to Shinde.
Tanaji Sawant, the health minister who belongs to Shinde camp apologized for his objectionable comment against the Maratha community. Sawant during his speech said that the Maratha community had developed an “itch” for reservations. Earlier also, he made several controversies. The Opposition demanded sacking of Sawant for his controversial remarks against the Maratha community.
Earlier, a photo of CM Shinde’s son Shreekant Shinde sitting in the chief minister’s chair had gone viral. Later, Shreekant Shinde clarified that it was not the CM chair, but their office chair where the chief minister board was by mistakenly kept in the background.
Tanaji trolled
Meanwhile, Tanaji Sawant was trolled on social media for his alleged goof-ups in his meeting schedule. Sawant became the subject of various memes as the schedule only mentioned his travel from his private
office to his home and back.
The document went viral and became the topic of jokes, after which Sawant’s office revised the schedule.
Rashmi Thackeray visits Shinde’s stronghold in Thane
The wife of Uddhav Thackeray, Rashmi Thackeray, visited Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde’s stronghold Thane on Thursday. Rashmi visited the Tembhi Naka Navratri Mandal in Thane. Rashmi was accompanied by Shiv Sena Lok Sabha MP Rajan Vichare and former Mumbai mayor Kishori Pednekar among others. Earlier, Shiv Sena shared an image of Rashmi congratulating the party workers after Bombay High court granted permission to Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena to hold its annual Dusshera rally at Shivaji Park. Sources in Shiv Sena said that Rashmi has always been the tacit support to Uddhav, but of late she has been more vocal and visible within the Sena circle and telling her party workers that she is very much there even though it is a long political battle against Maharashtra CM and the BJP in Maharashtra. ENS