Newspaper ad on Eknath Shinde tying up with BJP sparks controversy
Newspaper ad on Eknath Shinde tying up with BJP sparks controversy
The full-page advertisement, citing a “survey” that showed Eknath Shinde ahead of Devendra Fadnavis in popularity
has not only upset Fadnavis but the State Government and Central Government to an extent. The ad had Eknath Shinde with a picture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This ad appeared in major newspapers in the state and sparked controversy in political circles.
Eknath Shinde while responding to the ad clarified thstand the alliance will not get weakened just because of an advertisement. It will also not
weaken the Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) Shiv Sena (SS) alliance, Maharashtra
Eknath Shinde on Friday asserted that the bitterness someone was trying to create over the last one year had been removed.
Infact a war of words erupted amidst the Shiv Sena and the BJP over the newspaper advertisement.
The advertisement, which did not carry pictures of either Fadnavis or Shiv Sena founder late Balasaheb Thackeray, fuelled talks on a possible rift amid the two allies whose government which completes one year term in office on June 30.
While briefing media personnel Shinde asserted that this advertisement was put out by an over-enthusiastic party worker adding that the alliance was formed from a deep ideological stand when stalwarts like Shiv Sena founder late Bal Thackeray and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee were around.
He further reiterated that in the past one year, someone tried to add salt in the Sena-BJP alliance to create bitterness, but that issue has been taken out like a stone. There will be no enmity merely based on the advertisement.
Shinde further reiterated that his friendship with his deputy and senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis was a very strong “like Fevicol ka jod”, a reference to the tagline of a renowned adhesive brand. None can however and in whatever manner try to break the Shinde-Fadnavis relationship, will not succeed.
News input KV Raman
