'Uddhav has come to plead for Maharashtra CM post': Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske on Thackeray's Delhi visit

Thane MP Naresh Mhaske of the Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena on Wednesday attacked Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray over the latter's Delhi visit. Mhaske claimed that the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief came to the national to plead for the Chief Minister's chair.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) chief arrived in Delhi on Tuesday and is likely to urge his alliance partners -- Congress and NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) -- to declare him as the CM candidate of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) for the upcoming assembly elections in the state. 

He is scheduled to meet Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, NCP (SCP) president Sharad Pawar and Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Sonia Gandhi in the national capital, as per media reports. 

"There is a saying in Marathi -- galli mein gondhad, dilli mein mujra (one who is a lion in one's own territory but whimpers in Delhi). Uddhav Thackeray has come to Delhi to plead for the Maharashtra CM post," Mhaske said while speaking to newswire ANI outside the Parliament premises. 

Amping up his attack at Thackeray, the Thane MP also said that he is in Delhi for the past three days and hasn't been able to meet Sonia Gandhi till now. "As per his programme, he was supposed to meet Sonia Gandhi but he hasn't met her yet, this means Sonia Gandhi might not have given him time yet." 

Furthermore, he said that in the days of the late Balasaheb Thackeray, all leaders used to come to Matoshree to meet the Shiv Sena founder-chief but his son needs to come to Delhi. He also attacked Thackeray, also the former Maharashtra CM, over his criticism of Shinde's Delhi visits for the welfare of Maharashtra. 

"When CM Eknath Shinde comes to Delhi for the development of Maharashtra, he (Thackeray) criticises him. What is he doing in Delhi now? He's going to stay in Delhi for three days and meet various leaders," the Thane MP claimed. 

Meanwhile, the ex-Maharashtra chief minister also met AICC Maharashtra in-charge Ramesh Chennithala on Tuesday. Chennithala, however, said that Thackeray's meetings with the grand old party's top leaders are scheduled but discussion about the CM face of the MVA is not on the meeting's agenda. The Congress will kickstart the campaign for the Maharashtra assembly elections from August 20, the birth anniversary of former PM Rajiv Gandhi.