Need to keep good relations with Centre, work happens on ground, not online: Maha CM taunts Uddhav

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday took a swipe at his former leader Uddhav Thackeray by stating good relations have to be maintained with the Centre to get development funds, and work gets done on the ground and not online or from home.

Speaking at the ABP conclave, Shinde said one needed to keep ego aside for the state, a swipe at Thackeray, who as chief minister of the Maha Vikas Aghadi dispensation between 2019 and 2022, often sparred with the Narendra Modi government.

Stressing it is important to have good working relations with the Centre to fuel growth in the state, Shinde said, “To achieve growth, one needs to get on the field. You can’t get things done online or through Facebook. A chief minister has to keep ego aside when dealing with the Centre to get funds for development.” The Bharatiya Janata Party would routinely accuse Thackeray of ruling from his private residence ‘Matoshree’ in suburban Bandra in the metropolis and not undertaking tours to the districts, despite the crippling effects of the COVID-19 pandemic since March 2020.