Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Monday alleged that the BJP central leadership was trying to weaken Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis politically, alleging that the latter was being downsized to prevent him from emerging as a contender to succeed Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the future.
Addressing party workers in Shirdi, Thackeray claimed that after Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, Fadnavis has become the latest leader with roots in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to face resistance from the BJP leadership in Delhi.
“After Nitin Gadkari, the BJP leadership in Delhi is now trying to downsize Devendra Fadnavis. They want to keep him out of the race to become prime minister after Narendra Modi,” Thackeray claimed.
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“Both Gadkari and Fadnavis enjoy RSS support.”
The former Maharashtra Chief Minister said that both Gadkari and Fadnavis enjoyed the support of the RSS and suggested that this had worked against them within the BJP leadership sections.
“Both Gadkari and Fadnavis have the support of the RSS and both have faced the same treatment,” Thackeray said.
He also questioned the role of the RSS and whether it is ready to speak out if leaders seen as close to it are sidelined.
“Is it acceptable for the RSS to have its people cornered by the BJP leadership? Has the RSS become a slave to these BJP leaders and cannot say anything in front of them?” he asked.
A new attack amid political turmoil in Maharashtra
Thackeray’s comments come amid renewed political debate in Maharashtra and speculation about equations within both the BJP and the broader Mahayoti alliance.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) chief in recent weeks accused the BJP of trying to weaken his party through defections and political manoeuvres. He has repeatedly referred to the so-called “Operation Tiger,” under which he claims efforts are being made to engineer the exit of his faction and strengthen rival camps.
These allegations intensified after several Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders and former MPs switched allegiance to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, reviving memories of the split that dramatically changed Maharashtra politics in 2022.
Shiv Sena rebellion 2022
The Shiv Sena split in June 2022 after senior leader Eknath Shinde led a rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray’s leadership, taking a majority of party members with him.
The revolt eventually led to the collapse of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, comprising the Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party and Congress, with Thackeray stepping down as Prime Minister before testing the ground.
Subsequently, Shinde formed a government with the BJP and became Prime Minister, while Devendra Fadnavis took over as Deputy Chief Minister.
The split later received legal and electoral support after the Election Commission recognized the Shinde faction as the official Shiv Sena faction and assigned it the party’s famous bow and arrow symbol. Thackeray’s faction was renamed the Shiv Sena (UBT) and was assigned a new symbol.
Fadnavis’s ‘wing clipping’ remark has resurfaced
Thackeray had previously alleged that attempts were being made within the BJP to politically weaken Fadnavis and reduce his influence in Maharashtra politics.
Earlier this month, he claimed that efforts were underway to “clip the Prime Minister’s wings”.
Fadnavis denied the allegation, saying that he had no wings to clip by anyone and that he remained focused on governance and public service.
