Bitterness On Display As Uddhav, Shinde Trade Barbs During Ambadas Danve's Farewell In Council

Despite the fact that Uddhav Thackeray, Eknath Shinde and Ambadas Danve spent years together in the united Shiv Sena, the bitterness was at full display during the farewell of Danve, whose term in the state council ends on August 29.

Taunts and barbs flew thick and fast when Thackeray and Shinde delivered the farewell speeches. Shinde spoke ahead of Thackeray and took a dig at his ex-party boss, who is now his fierce rival. Danve was not born with a golden spoon and positive change should take place in the lives of common citizens of Maharashtra, said the deputy chief minister.

In a rebuttal, Thackeray said that though Danve was not born with a golden spoon, he did not betray those who served him a plate full of food. The barb was aimed at Shinde, who rebelled in June 2022, dethroning the Thackeray-led government.

“You did not betray the party that served you a plate of food. You did not commit the crime of going to another restaurant to get more food,” said Thackeray in a veiled attack at Shinde, while praising Danve.

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Taking a dig aimed at CM Devendra Fadnavis, Thackeray said though your (Danve) term is getting over, you can also say 'mi punha yein' from the same party (Shiv Sena UBT). While delivering his last speech as the CM between 2014 to 2019 in the assembly, Fadnavis had raised a cry of 'mi punha yein', which became a much-talked-about slogan during the assembly polls in 2019.

In his speech, Fadnavis referred to Danve's early political life with the BJP. In a jibe towards the Congress, he said that Danve has been an ardent follower of Hindutva ideology, V D Savarkar, even if he sits next to Congress MLC Satej Patil in the House. “Danve has staged protests against loudspeakers on religious sites, but I am not sure he can give such memorandums in the current situation,” Fadnavis quipped.