After Ajit Pawar's Mutiny, Aaditya Thackeray's "Third Wheel" Dig

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Sunday took a dig at the Eknath Shinde-BJP dispensation in Maharashtra, saying the "failed double engine government" now has a "third wheel" after NCP leader Ajit Pawar joined the cabinet.

He said the fight in politics in the current times was between selfish and principled.

Ajit Pawar on Sunday pulled off a stunning revolt in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) triggering a vertical split and joined hands with the ruling Shiv Sena-BJP alliance in Maharashtra to become the deputy chief minister. Eight other party leaders were inducted as ministers.

In a tweet, Aaditya Thackeray said the original "gaddars" (traitors), a reference to 40 Shiv Sena MLAs, "were dreaming desperately of a cabinet berth, sat there today watching nine others take oath, but none could be ministers again".

"The failed double engine government in Maharashtra now has a third wheel," Aaditya Thackeray said.

He said the development proves that Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is as incompetent as ever.

"The original gaddaars backstabbed us on the pretext that NCP leaders and ministers from their districts didn't let them work," it said.

"It's clear from today's politics that the fight is going to be selfish vs principled. Those who have gone, have only gone for selfish reasons, and we will fight for selfless and principled politics!" Aaditya Thackeray said.

The NCP, Shiv Sena and the Congress earlier shared power in Maharashtra as part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, but the rebellion by Eknath Shinde and 39 MLAs led to the collapse of the Uddhav Thackeray-led dispensation in June 2022. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)