Mumbai, June 23 (IANS) The Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the ruling MahaYuti alliance, accusing Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde of pushing Maharashtra back by 25 years and tarnishing the state’s reputation.

The party further alleged that Shinde’s brand of “arrogant money politics” would ultimately prove detrimental to Fadnavis, claiming that a section within the BJP leadership in Delhi is openly encouraging Shinde to challenge the chief minister’s authority.

The Thackeray camp, in a scathing editorial in party mouthpiece ‘Saamana’ accused the Mahayuti government of celebrating betrayal, referring to the Operation Tiger in which six rebel Sena (UBT) MPs defected to the Shinde camp on Monday.

“Instead of addressing the burning issues plaguing Maharashtra, Fadnavis chose to gloat over the defection of six Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs, declaring that the operation ‘treachery’ was successful and the patient is doing well,” said the editorial.

At a time when Maharashtra is confronted with a mountain of problems, it is inappropriate for Fadnavis to derive satisfaction from praising traitors, the editorial said.

The editorial mockingly translated this into a metaphor of Shinde “giving birth” to six healthy traitors — an operation it claims cost at least Rs 500 crore.

“Now that Shinde has given birth to six traitors and Amit Shah is distributing sweets in Delhi, the Chief Minister must declare who the real parents of these defectors are,” the editorial asked.

The editorial lamented that while the mere mention of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj once struck fear into the hearts of traitors, the current leadership is actively celebrating political defection, turning betrayal into Maharashtra’s new identity.

The Thackeray camp strongly criticised the severe administrative neglect across the state.

“Due to delayed rains, a massive water scarcity crisis looms over rural Maharashtra, threatening large-scale migration and a shortage of fodder for cattle. Water levels in the seven dams supplying water to Mumbai have plummeted to a critical 8.5 per cent, forcing immediate water cuts. Yet, the government is accused of “showering money” purely for political photo-ops to celebrate the safe passage of the rebel MPs,” it said.

It alleged that Maharashtra is the epic centre of the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak scandal, claiming those arrested have close ties to the Bharatiya Janata Party family, effectively destroying the future of the state’s youth.

The Thackeray camp has demanded that the Assembly session be adjourned until Fadnavis responds to the issues raised by the Opposition. According to the editorial, the state government came under intense criticism over the worsening agrarian distress across Maharashtra.

While Fadnavis recently stated that loan waivers are not a permanent solution, the editorial asked how the government plans to empower farmers when they are denied Minimum Support Prices (MSP) and proper crop insurance benefits.

“Farmers’ suicides have not stopped,” the editorial noted, adding that while the ruling alliance claims to have no money for suffering farmers, it has an infinite supply of funds to buy politicians.

“Today, MLAs and MPs have become the real ‘commodities’ fetching massive guaranteed prices, while the common farmer is left entirely to fate,” it alleged.

The Uddhav Sena also highlighted what it described as the government’s governance failures, pointing to rising unemployment, a deteriorating law-and-order situation, and severe drought conditions in the Vidarbha and Marathwada regions. The party further alleged that the government’s flagship ‘Ladki Bahin’ scheme had proved deceptive, claiming that financial assistance to 81 lakh women was discontinued soon after the elections were over.

Expressing concern over the state of democracy, the editorial criticised the absence of effective opposition representation in the legislature, pointing out that both Houses of the Maharashtra Legislature are currently functioning without a Leader of the Opposition. It alleged that the ruling alliance has deliberately delayed the appointments to avoid scrutiny and uncomfortable questions on the floor of the House, describing the situation as an unprecedented setback for democratic functioning in the state.

–IANS

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