Mumbai, Apr 13 (PTI) Amid talk of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde raising contentious issues concerning the state’s ruling alliance with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP ‘s Sudhir Mungantiwar on Sunday defended the Shiv Sena leader.
Shah had visited Maharashtra on Saturday, during which he attended an event in Raigad Fort to mark the 345th death anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
Talking to reporters, Mungantiwar, a senior BJP leader and former state minister, said, “Eknath Shinde is a good leader. He would not use such ways to raise complaints before Shah. Shinde is such a leader who will not wait and raise it with Amit Shah. He would directly speak with Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.” Incidentally, it is the first time any BJP leader has spoken about this reported Shah-Shinde meeting.
The ruling alliance comprises the BJP, Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party. It came to power in December after a landslide victory in the assembly polls. Shinde, who was CM from June 2022, however, had to be content with the deputy CM’s post in the Fadnavis government. PTI ND BNM
