Uddhav Thackeray Bowed Before PM Modi: Eknath Shinde's Big Claim

Former Chief Minister of Maharashtra Uddhav Thackeray had bowed down before Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asking to be saved from the action of investigating agencies, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has claimed. 

Mr Thackeray had gone to Delhi and pleaded with PM Modi, and spoke of forming a coalition government in Maharashtra, but he backtracked as soon as he returned to the state, Mr Shinde claimed in the Legislative Council today. 

For power, Mr Thackeray's Shiv Sena UBT had left the ideas of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, accepted the "Aurangzebi ideology and joined the Congress," he said while giving a statement in the Legislative Council today. 

"We courageously freed the bow and arrow and which the Shiv Sena had handed to the Congress," he said. 

The Shiv Sena UBT has no right to speak of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, because they have accepted the ideas of Aurangzeb, Mr Shinde said.

"We have never been tempted by power and position. We have always given priority to solving the problems of the people who helped us get the position," he said.

Mr Shinde's comments come days after Shiv Sena UBT MP Sanjay Raut claimed that Mr Shinde had wanted to join the Congress in the past.

"I know what all was going on. Ahmed Patel is not around now and hence I don't want to say anything more because he is not there to substantiate this... Ask (senior Congress leader and ex-chief minister) Prithviraj Chavan about it," Mr Raut told reporters.

During Holi, former Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole had caused a stir with his "offer" to Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar (of NCP) to switch to the opposition alliance with the promise of the "rotational post of the chief minister". He made these comments during Holi celebrations.