NEW DELHI: Union Minister Piyush Goyal expressed strong confidence on Monday in the Mahayuti alliance’s prospects in Maharashtra, taking a sharp jab at the opposition Mahavikas Aghadi, which he referred to as "Maha 'Vinash' Aghadi." Goyal in a press conference predicted a sweeping victory for the Mahayuti and said that "the people of Maharashtra no longer trust the false promises of the Maha Vinash Aghadi ." He criticised the opposition alliance, singling out the Shiv Sena’s current leadership for what he described as a betrayal of the party’s foundational values.
Goyal specifically targeted Shiv Sena UBT Chief Uddhav Thackeray, accusing him of abandoning the legacy of Balasaheb Thackeray and the original spirit of Shiv Sena. “The public has understood that a party that can insult even its Founder Balasaheb Thackeray – who had said he would shut down his party rather than join hands with Congress – cannot be trusted,” Goyal remarked. He further criticised Thackeray’s ambition and said, “A man who rejects Hindutva sentiments for personal ambitions, for the desire of the CM post, for establishing his son, has lost public trust.
” Reflecting on Shiv Sena’s political realignment in 2019, Goyal claimed that the shift away from Hindutva ideals has disillusioned its voter base. “The entire idea of Shiv Sena was demolished in 2019. People do not trust such a party anymore,” he concluded.
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