'Uddhav Thackeray needs a psychiatrist...': Devendra Fadnavis's message for his 'old friend

Pune, July 12: The Maharashtra political row took a fresh turn on Tuesday with BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis urging his former ally - Uddhav Thackeray - to seek help from a psychiatrist. The remarks came in response to the former CM's assertion in Nagpur that the Deputy CM was a “taint" on the city as he had aligned with the NCP despite asserting that he would never do so.

Addressing his party workers in Nagpur, the home turf of Fadnavis, Thackeray on Monday said the BJP leader was a “taint” on the city as he had aligned with the NCP despite asserting that he would never do so.

Playing an old audio clip of Fadnavis stating that he would never join hands with the NCP, Thackeray said the BJP leader’s “no means yes”. Asked about Thackeray’s comments, Fadnavis said, “It pains me to see the opposition and former friend (Thackeray) facing the impact of current political developments. I think he might need to consult a psychiatrist.”

In a tectonic shift in the state’s political landscape, NCP leader Ajit Pawar and eight of his colleagues joined the Eknath Shinde government on July 2, splitting the Sharad Pawar-founded party. While Ajit Pawar was made a deputy chief minister, the others were sworn in as ministers.

Fadnavis said, “It is unfair to react to a person who makes allegations because of his current psychological condition. His current mental status is such that we should try to understand it. It is better not to react to what he is saying,” he said.

Several BJP leaders have also come in support of Fadnavis after Thackeray’s attack on him.

Pravin Darekar, former leader of the opposition in Maharashtra Legislative Council and BJP MLC said, “Thackeray himself has diluted Hindutva by betraying the BJP. He himself is a blot on Hindutva. He cannot make such comments on our leaders.” BJP state president Chandrashekhar Bawankule and another BJP MLC Pravin Datke also hit back at Thackeray saying, “The language used by Thackeray against Fadnavis is unacceptable. We challenge him to visit Nagpur again. People will hit him with footwear,” Bawankule said.

The BJP also took to Facebook to launch an attack on Thackeray. It said on FB, “Uddhav Thackeray should have seen his own face in the mirror before making such unacceptable comments against Fadnavis. You would have seen a corruption-ridden face in the mirror.” The Facebook post added, “You have gone crazy. Only you can use the pedestrian language. You are the taint on Maharashtra. You need to be treated in a mental hospital.” Earlier in the day, BJP workers in Nagpur held a protest against Thackeray, while the party’s youth wing Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha took out a mock funeral procession of the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief.