Shinde does not dare speak against Karnataka CM: Uddhav

Mumbai: Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday said Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has no courage to speak against his Karnataka counterpart.

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai’s claim that several border villages in Maharashtra once sought to become part of his state has triggered a row.

“Have we lost our courage as Karnataka chief minister is easily making claims on Maharashtra villages,” Thackeray said, taking a swipe at Shinde.

”Is Karnataka CM having any blessings from Delhi? Does the Centre also want the same thing?” Thackeray, a former chief minister, said while speaking to reporters.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar, meanwhile, said that the Bharatiya Janata Party ”can not run away from Karnataka issue.” ”If Karnataka wants to return Nipani, Belgaum villages, then only some exchange can be worked out,” he added.

Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, countered the jibes by opposition on the Maharashtra-Karnataka dispute by saying that the Congress was in power in Maharashtra for much longer than the BJP.

”Still it did not solve the issue. The case is in the court. Not a single village of Maharashtra will go to Karnataka,” he said.