Eknath Shinde dubs Uddhav Thackeray as 'anti-development'

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday criticised Shiv Sena (UBT) head and former CM Uddhav Thackeray saying he is "anti-development".

He (Thackeray) was sitting at home for two-and-a-half years and did only show off, Shinde told reporters without taking his predecessor's name while replying to a question.

"But we are actually doing vikas (development) and cleaning up this city. He is anti-development and I do not wish to make any comment on their criticism (of the government)," the CM said after attending a deep cleaning drive in parts of south Mumbai.

"He opposed the (Metro) car shed at Aarey land in Mumbai, construction of Metro lines, and even tried to slow down construction of the Samruddhi highway (connecting Mumbai and Nagpur)," Shinde said.

Do they even have a moral right to point the finger at us, he said.

Thackeray formed the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in November 2019 after the state polls. In June 2022, a revolt led by Shinde against the Shiv Sena leadership resulted in the collapse of the Thackeray government.

On the Mumbai Trans-Harbour Link (MTHL), CM Shinde said, "Modern technology has been used for the construction of the longest sea bridge in the country. The (quantity of) steel used for this bridge is four times of the Howrah bridge in Kolkata." The MTHL, also known as Atal Setu named after former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 12, Shinde's office said on Saturday.

The bridge originates from Sewri in Mumbai and terminates at Nhava Sheva in Uran taluka of Raigad district. It is constructed at a cost of Rs 18,000 crore.