BJP extols Uddhav Thackeray amid rift reports with Shinde’s Shiv Sena, Ajit Pawar’s NCP: ‘Health was not good, still…’

Maharashtra politics: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has criticized the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) for allegedly “benefitting” from Uddhav Thackeray's efforts during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

This comes amidst reports of discord within the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance, with factions led by Ajit Pawar of the NCP and Eknath Shinde of the Shiv Sena expressing displeasure for being denied a berth in the Modi 3.0 Cabinet.

BJP leader Chandrakant Patil has said that Uddhav Thackeray put in great effort in the phenomenal win that the INDIA bloc registered in Maharashtra. He said that the allies Congress and NCP (SP) seem to have benefitted more than his own party.

"Uddhav Thackeray's health was not in good condition. Still, he took a lot of effort. I was worried about his health. However, the outcome indicates that NCP (SP) and Congress benefitted more from his efforts than his party.

"When Thackeray was with BJP, his party had won 18 Lok Sabha seats. With Congress and NCP (SP), he won nine seats. He needs to introspect," Patil, a senior Maharashtra minister, said at an event.

The BJP leader Patil further taunted Thackeray, saying, "Thackeray also earned a tag for winning due to the votes of minorities. An MNS leader has also put it succinctly, saying the colour of Uddhav Thackeray's victory is not saffron but green."

Trouble in Mahayuti Alliance?

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Ajit Pawar are reportedly miffed with the PM Narendra Modi government for not being allotted a cabinet position.

The NCP Ajit Pawar faction remained firm on their demand for a cabinet berth in Modi 3.0 and rejected the offer of a Minister of State position.

Six MPs from Maharashtra were included in the recent expansion of the Modi 3.0 coalition government. The BJP secured four berths; its allies Shiv Sena and RPI (A) received one.

Lok Sabha Elections 2024: How Mahayuti, INDIA bloc fared?

Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT) contested 21 out of 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state but won only nine. Congress, on the other hand, contested 17 and won 13. Congress leader and rebel candidate in Sangli Lok Sabha constituency also won and later extended support to the party. The NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) contested ten seats and won eight.