Modi must cooperate with ‘younger brother’ Uddhav Thackeray: Shiv Sena

Mumbai, November 29

The Shiv Sena on Friday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray shared brotherly ties and that it is the responsibility of the former to cooperate with his “younger brother” who has taken charge of the state.

Apparently referring to the Centre, the Shiv Sena said Delhi should respect the decision made by the people of Maharashtra and take care that the stability of the state government is not affected.

The Sena made the comments in its mouthpiece ‘Saamana’ as it latched onto wishes extended by Modi to Thackeray after he took oath as the chief minister on Thursday evening.

Modi has in the past referred to Thackeray, who is also the Sena president, as his “younger brother”.

The relations between the Shiv Sena and Modi’s party, the BJP, turned sour in Maharashtra over sharing the chief minister’s post on rotational basis in the state.

The Sena snapped its decades-old ties with the BJP and formed a tri-party coalition, which also consists of the NCP and the Congress, to form the government in the country’s richest state.

“Congratulations to Uddhav Thackeray Ji on taking oath as the CM of Maharashtra. I am confident he will work diligently for the bright future of Maharashtra,” the PM tweeted after Thackeray was sworn in.

Responding, the Shiv Sena referred to Modi as “our prime minister” and said he had wished that Maharashtra attain speedy development under Thackeray’s leadership.

“The Centre will have to cooperate (with the state) for that (speedy development). The Centre will have to extend help to bring Maharashtra’s farmers out of their miseries,” the Shiv Sena said.

The Shiv Sena made the remarks in the editorial of the Marathi daily.

“The BJP-Shiv Sena are sharing strained relations in Maharashtra politics, but Modi and Thackeray share brotherly ties.

“Hence, it is the responsibility of Modi to cooperate with the younger brother from Maharashtra,” it added.

The Shiv Sena maintained that the prime minister did not belong to any single party, but the entire country. PTI