Sattar grumbles against BJP despite Shinde urging him to follow coalition ideals

An Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena leader, who complained against the BJP’s moves to cut its junior ally on Tuesday, spoke against the BJP again on Wednesday. This occurred despite Deputy CM Eknath Shinde asking him at a Tuesday night meeting to follow the ideals of the Mahayuti coalition’s ideals and refrain from speaking openly against the BJP.

Significantly, sources also said that Deputy CM Eknath Shinde skipped the cabinet meeting held on Tuesday morning, indicating that perhaps all is not well in the Mahayuti ruling alliance.

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After Shinde instructed Abdul Sattar, his party’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar leader, not to criticise the BJP openly, Sattar said here on Wednesday, “We had a detailed discussion with Eknath Shinde regarding the obstacles faced by the BJP’s junior allies.” This must end. We have six MLAs and one MP in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. The BJP had only three MLAs. However, we gave them (the BJP) the upper hand in power because we follow the ideals of the Mahayuti coalition government.”

“Yet, if the BJP continues to behave like this from now, will there be any Mahayuti alliance in the 2029 elections? We will have to consider this possibility. Eknath Shinde has instructed us to fight elections as part of the Mahayuti and we will follow it. Whatever decision our party chief Eknath Shinde makes, we will accept it. As per his advice, we decided to join hands with the BJP. So the BJP should value our good work,” Shinde-led Shiv Sena leader Abdul Sattar said here on Wednesday.

When asked about his statement that Eknath Shinde’s Sena must merge with the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena, Abdul Sattar replied, “It was not me who made the statement that both Shiv Sena parties should come together. It was Uddahv Thackeray-led Shiv Sena MLA Ambadas Danve who said it. I merely reacted to Danve’s statement. We are worried about the current situation. There are no elections at present, but the picture that has emerged in all elections is that the elder brother (BJP) is taking away all the power from the younger brother (Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena,” Shinde-led Sena leader Abdul Sattar said.

Shinde-led Sena leader Abdul Sattar’s statement came after Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP and chief Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut said on Tuesday that, “Those who still have self-respect, and those who have realised the true nature of the BJP, should come to Matoshree and meet Uddhav Thackeray”.

On Tuesday, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena leader Abdul Sattar had spoken out against the BJP after his son Sameer Sattar’s candidature for the Legislative Council election was rejected and the BJP fielded Suhas Shirsat from the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar-Jalna local body constituency instead.

Rejecting the BJP decision, his son Sameer Sattar filed an independent application and his father Abdul Sattar said, “Our Zilla Parishad is gone, and our power in the municipal corporation which existed during the time of Shiv Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray has also gone. What is left with us now? Individual BJP leaders are becoming big in many small seats and the (Eknath Shinde-led) Shiv Sena is being eliminated.”

After Sattar was asked about Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena leader Ambadas Danve’s recent statement that both Shiv Senas must come together, Abdul Sattar said on Tuesday, “I also feel that now both Shiv Senas must come together. If our leaders decide to come together, then there will be no need to ask anyone. I will completely accept the decision my leader takes.”

“If our ‘big brother’ (the BJP) is going to eliminate us by dividing the (Eknath Shinde-led) Shiv Sena, then we have no other remedy except to come together,” Abdul Sattar said.

Directly comparing the political situation in Maharashtra with West Bengal, Eknath Shinde-led Abdul Sattar said, “In West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee and the BJP were together once. Later, their coordination broke down and today they are killing each other. Workers like me should take care and be vigilant because we do not have such a situation happening in Maharashtra. Our leader is one who takes farmers, Dalits, labourers and all castes with him.”