NAVI MUMBAI: Industries minister Uday Samant on Saturday dismissed suggestions that the BJP was engineering defections from the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), claiming that leaders and workers were joining the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena voluntarily.
“They have been saying the same thing for the last four years, but six MLAs have joined us. The municipal president also joined us yesterday. We do not have to carry out any Operation Tiger; people from UBT automatically join us,” Samant told reporters on the sidelines of the Maharashtra MSME Summit & Awards in Navi Mumbai.
Operation Tiger is the BJP’s name for the mission to lure members of rival parties, and was recently used by deputy CM Eknath Shinde and CM Devendra Fadnavis in connection with the successful defection of six Sena (UBT) MPs to the BJP. Samant, however, attributed the continuing defections to discontent within the UBT camp.
“Party workers have been alienated over the past few years,” he said. “There was no dialogue with many people and there was no natural political alliance, which is why they rebelled. But instead of introspection, there is constant criticism of us and of Eknath Shinde.” The minister claimed that despite this criticism, the Shinde-led Sena had emerged as Maharashtra’s second-largest political force after the BJP.
Reacting to Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut’s combative comments, Samant said that such statements no longer had any political impact. “Every day, we hear this kind of rhetoric,” he said. “But there is no one left to listen to it now. The voters have given us a mandate.”
On reports that 24 MLAs were absent from the opposition alliance Maha Vikas Aghadi’s recent meeting, Samant said, “I am gathering information on why they were absent and then I will speak on it.”
Responding to speculation of political developments after CM Devendra Fadnavis and Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray travelled on the same flight to Nagpur on Saturday, Samant said political interpretations were uncalled for. “There is a tradition in Maharashtra to take along the opposition as well,” he said. “Both Devendra Fadnavis and Eknath Shinde are supportive. Because the Mahayuti alliance is strong, we don’t need anyone else.”
Commenting on the threats issued to journalists by recently defected MP Sanjay Dina Patil, Samant said, “He should not have spoken like this, and his conduct has not been supported by the Shiv Sena or Eknath Shinde. Patil personally expressed regret yesterday and so did we about the hurt caused to journalists.”
