Shiv Sena slams MVA for 'defaming' central agencies over Uddhav Thackeray's luggage check

Mumbai: Shiv Sena spokesperson Manisha Kayande on Thursday accused the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) of misleading the public in Maharashtra by making false claims about the central agencies, regarding frisking of Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray's chopper during poll campaign.

She responded to recent allegations by the MVA that the Election Commission of India (ECI) was being misused to target former Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray as he was being singled out by the EC officials in luggage checking.

Kayande dismissed these claims, stating that Thackeray was playing the "victim card" and employing "pressure tactics" to "mislead the people" and "gain sympathy."

"Thackeray doesn't trust any central agency, whether it's the ED, CBI, or ECI. As a former Chief Minister, it's unbecoming of him to create such pressure with such videos," she told IANS.

Referring to a recent video posted by Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, in which the latter questioned checking of Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis's luggage, Kayande responded, "ECI officials are present everywhere, at airports and elsewhere. Are they trying to turn this into a video drama? This is about Maharashtra's future, yet they're making it a joke."

Kayande further criticised Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole's purported "dog" comment aimed at the BJP, claiming, "He has lost his mental balance. Patole wants to be Chief Minister, but since the MVA hasn't declared him as their candidate, he's resorting to below-the-belt statements."

Backing Union Home Minister Amit Shah's recent critique of Thackeray's leadership during the Covid pandemic, Kayande remarked, "While Thackeray was conducting Facebook Live sessions, his party leaders were allegedly involved in scams. Amit Shah's remarks aren't off the mark. Maharashtra needs serious leadership, as Eknath Shinde has demonstrated. People are happy with his work."

Kayande also condemned recent remarks by All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) spokesperson Maulana Khalil-ur-Rahman Sajjad Nomani.

"The MVA is engaging in divide-and-rule politics, banking on the Muslim vote. This amounts to vote jihad, and the ECI rules were clearly flouted," she added.

She also urged for unity among the majority community to take on Opposition's communal agenda, citing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Ek hai to safe hai' and UP CM Yogi Adityanath's ' batenge to katenge' messages.

Kayande also took a jibe at Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, stating he was "roaming around with a book of the Constitution" while its essence was being "torn to pieces" by appeasement politics.

She praised Eknath Shinde-led government's achievements and expressed confidence about Mahayuti's electoral prospects in forthcoming elections.