The Sena’s mouthpiece ”Saamana” wrote in its editorial: “The BJP-Shiv Sena are sharing strained relations in Maharashtra politics, but (Narendra) Modi and (Uddhav) Thackeray share brotherly ties.
PM Modi congratulated Uddhav Thackeray after he took oath as Maharashtra Chief Minister. (File)PM Modi had congratulated the Shiv Sena chief and his former ally after he was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra along with six ministers. “Congratulations to Uddhav Thackeray Ji on taking oath as the CM of Maharashtra. I am confident he will work diligently for the bright future of Maharashtra,” he tweeted.
Responding to the Prime Minister’s wishes, the Sena’s mouthpiece ”Saamana” wrote in its editorial: “The BJP-Shiv Sena are sharing strained relations in Maharashtra politics, but (Narendra) Modi and (Uddhav) Thackeray share brotherly ties… Hence, it is the responsibility of Shri Modi to cooperate with the younger brother from Maharashtra as the prime minister.”
Narendra Modi✔@narendramodi
Congratulations to Uddhav Thackeray Ji on taking oath as the CM of Maharashtra. I a
The Shiv Sena maintained the Prime Minister does not belong to any single party, but the entire country. “Delhi should respect the decision people of Maharashtra have taken and take care the stability of the state government is not bedeviled,” the party said in its Marathi mouthpiece.
“The centre will have to co-operate (with the state) for that (speedy development). The centre will have to extend help to bring Maharashtra’s farmers out of their miseries,” the Saamana editorial said.
“Delhi is the capital of the country for sure. But Uddhav Thackeray, son of Balasaheb Thackeray who took firm stand all along that Maharashtra is not a slave of Delhi, has now become the chief minister. So, there is a surety that the government will have its spine intact,” it added.
Mr Thackeray had called up PM Modi on Wednesday evening and invited him to Mumbai for his oath ceremony.
Former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis of the BJP quit on Tuesday after a huge controversy over the manner in which he took power.
(With inputs from PTI)
Prasanta Patnaik