Eknath Shinde Chokes Up In Assembly
Eknath Shinde broke down during his speech in the Maharashtra Assembly today, his first as chief minister after winning an easy trust vote.
He also talked about becoming chief minister almost from the previous Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress alliance, but to objections within his party.
Eknath Shinde, accusing his family of threatening to revolt against his Shiv Sena boss and then chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, referred to his children, who died in 2000, and suffocated.
“They attacked my family… my father is alive, my mother died. I could not spend much time with my parents.
They would sleep when I came and go to work when I fell asleep I would not spend much time.
Eknath Shinde Chokes Up: My son Srikkanth. Two of my children died – at that point, Anand Dighe consoled me. I used to think, what is there to live for? I will be with my family,” Chief Minister said.
He shared that Shiv Sena’s symbol Anand Dighe asked him to wipe his tears and wipe the tears of others too. “He helped me recover and made me the leader of the Shiv Sena in the assembly,” he said.
Mr. Shinde lost two young children in a boat accident in 2000. Their 11-year-old son and 7-year-old daughter drowned when a boat capsized.
Eknath Shinde Chokes Up: Reports said that Mr Shinde had long grieved for his children.
His eldest son Dr. Shrikant Eknath Shinde is a Shiv Sena MP.
Mr. Shinde defended his rebellion, saying he was humiliated in the Legislative Council elections and could not stand it.
“I started getting calls and people started joining me. Uddhav Thackeray called me, asked me where I was going, I said I don’t know.
He asked me when I would return, I said I don’t know… I decided that I am ready to sacrifice myself but I will act.”
Mr Shinde claimed that he would be named chief minister of the Maha Vikas Aghadi, but NCP’s Ajit Pawar opposed him.
He said, “Ajit Pawar later told me, ‘we had no objection to you, the objection was to your party’. Uddhav Thackeray was made the chief minister at the behest of Sharad Pawar. I supported him wholeheartedly.”
Looking at the opposition bench, he remarked: “Don’t take it personally. But many MLAs were concerned about their identity and insisted that the BJP is our natural ally.”
