Published on: Aug 07, 2025 05:02 am IST
Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde met PM Modi and Amit Shah in Delhi, denying issues with allies and praising their leadership amid political speculation.
MUMBAI: Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde, who visited Delhi on Wednesday to meet prime minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah, rejected rumours that he was there to sort out his issues with his Mahayuti allies. Maharashtra’s deputy chief minister said that he and his family members went to congratulate Modi on the success of Operation Sindoor and Operation Mahadev, and he later had a separate one-on-one meeting with him.
Accompanied by the Shiv Sena’s MPs, Shinde also met Amit Shah. This is his third visit to the capital in the last one month amid speculation in political circles that he and his men have been cornered in the Mahayuti government. When media persons asked him if he was an indirect target of his allies, Shinde replied that his party had performed well in two elections and would also win the forthcoming local body polls.
Speaking at a press conference, the politician showered fulsome praise on Modi and Shah, saying that Shah had just become the longest-serving home minister in the history of India, completing an uninterrupted term of 2,258 days. “We met him to convey our heartfelt congratulations,” he said. Shinde called Shah’s leadership “decisive” and stated that from abrogating Article 370—thereby fulfilling the dream of Bal Thackeray—to leading Operation Mahadev against terrorism and effectively curbing Naxalism, the home minister had shown “unwavering commitment and visionary leadership”. “From cooperative development to national security, his contribution has been exemplary,” he gushed.
The deputy CM took a snipe at the Thackeray cousins Raj and Uddhav when asked about a possible alliance between the two. “So what will happen if the two come together?” he asked. “People don’t vote for names but for accomplishments. They don’t vote for people who sit at home. Parties have a right to get into alliances but the people decide whom to vote for.” There were some questions on Thackeray attending the opposition alliance INDIA meet on August 7 but Shinde refused to answer them.
The Shiv Sena chief announced that his party had extended its unconditional support to the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) for the upcoming vice-presidential election. He affirmed that his party remained one of the oldest and most trusted allies of the NDA.
