Uddhav skipping Maha Kumbh: He is scared of calling himself Hindu, says Dy CM Shinde
Mumbai, Feb 27 (PTI): Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Thursday took a dig at Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray for not attending the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh and said the latter was scared of calling himself a Hindu.
Considered among the holiest pilgrimages by Hindus, the Maha Kumbh started on January 13 and concluded on February 26. The Maha Kumbh 2025 saw a record 66 crore devotees thronging the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati.
"Those who skipped Maha Kumbh should be asked why they skipped it. They keep saying they are Hindus. Bal Thackeray proudly gave the slogan 'garv se kaho hum Hindu hain (proclaim it proudly that we are Hindu) but now they are scared of calling themselves a Hindu and call (Bal Thackeray) Hinduhriday Samrat," Shinde told reporters without naming Uddhav Thackeray.
Shinde was responding to a question on Thackeray and the Gandhi family of the Congress not attending the mega congregation.
The Deputy CM also said the issue connected to the post of guardian ministers would be resolved soon.
The issues in Mahayuti have been addressed amicably and with coordination, he asserted.
After naming Girish Mahajan (BJP) and Aditi Tatkare (NCP) as guardian ministers of Nashik and Raigad, respectively, the state government put the order on hold as Shiv Sena staked claim over the two posts.
Meanwhile, Suhas Minchekar, a former MLA who was associated with Shiv Sena (UBT), joined the Shinde-led Shiv Sena during the day.
Minchekar, who hails from the Kolhapur, is the third former MLA associated with Shiv Sena (UBT) to have joined Shinde in less than a fortnight.
On February 15, former Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Rajan Salvi joined the Shinde-led Sena. Salvi, a three-term MLA from Rajapur, lost to Shiv Sena's Kiran Samant in the November assembly polls.
This month former MLA Subhash Bane also joined the Shiv Sena. Bane was an MLA of the undivided Shiv Sena but had rebelled along with Narayan Rane and unsuccessfully contested a bypoll as a Congress candidate. He later rejoined the undivided Shiv Sena.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) has been witnessing a series of desertions since its rout in the Maharashtra assembly polls.
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Himanta resigns as Assam CM, paving way for formation of new govt
Guwahati (PTI): Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday resigned along with his cabinet colleagues, paving the way for formation of a new government led by the BJP, officials said.
The BJP-led NDA bagged 102 seats in the 126-member assembly. The assembly elections were held in a single phase on April 9, and counting of votes took place on May 4.
"Following the formal notification of the results of #AssamElections2026 and to enable the formation of the new government, Dr @himantabiswa tendered his resignation as Chief Minister along with that of the council of Ministers to Hon'ble Governor Shri @Laxmanacharya54 today at Lok Bhawan," the Chief Minister's Office said in a post on X.
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The Governor has accepted the resignation, and requested Sarma to continue as the caretaker CM till the new government assumes office, it said.
Later, speaking to reporters outside the Lok Bhawan, Sarma said the oath-taking ceremony is likely to take place after May 11.
“As it was a historic win, we have invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to grace the occasion," he said.
The new Assam chief minister will be selected at a meeting of the BJP legislature party in presence of central observers, Sarma said.
