'Was an auto driver, overtook Mercedes 2.5 years ago': Eknath Shinde takes swipe at Uddhav Thackeray, says real Sena growing

PUNE: Deputy CM Eknath Shinde on Friday said he was once a rickshaw driver who overtook the ‘Mercedes' two-and-a-half years ago, in an indirect dig at Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray.
Shiv Sena member Neelam Gorhe recently accused Thackeray of making appointments in exchange for two Mercedes cars as a gift.
Shinde was in Junnar tehsil of Pune district on Friday, where independent MLA Sharad Sonawane joined the party in his presence. Sonawane's election symbol was an autorickshaw, and referring to it at a public rally, Shinde said, "Sonawane contested the election on a symbol of rickshaw. I was also once a rickshaw driver who overtook a Mercedes two-and-a-half years ago. Even when we were in govt, I decided to revolt as I could not take the insult to Shivsainiks."
During one of the sessions of the three-day Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan held in Delhi, Gorhe had claimed that Thackeray would not meet MLAs and posts were given in the undivided Shiv Sena in exchange for two Mercedes.
After Shinde visited Mahakumbh to take a holy dip in the Ganga river, Thackeray had said his sins of betraying Maharashtra would not be washed off even after taking a dip in the Ganga. Responding to it, Shinde on Friday said, "Some people tried criticising me, but they actually insulted Mahakumbh. I went to take a holy dip at Mahakumbh to wash off the sins committed by them by abandoning Hindutva and Balasaheb Thackeray's thoughts."
"They (Shiv Sena UBT) will keep making allegations, and we will keep working for the common people. That is why we got 15 lakh more votes than UBT. Even now, people are queuing up to join the real Sena as they have trust in me," the deputy chief minister said.
Pune: Deputy CM Eknath Shinde on Friday said he was once a rickshaw driver who overtook the ‘Mercedes' two-and-a-half years ago, in an indirect dig at Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray. Shiv Sena member Neelam Gorhe recently accused Thackeray of making appointments in exchange for two Mercedes cars as a gift.
Shinde was in Junnar tehsil of Pune district on Friday, where independent MLA Sharad Sonawane joined the party in his presence. Sonawane's election symbol was an autorickshaw, and referring to it at a public rally, Shinde said, "Sonawane contested the election on a symbol of rickshaw. I was also once a rickshaw driver who overtook a Mercedes two-and-a-half years ago. Even when we were in govt, I decided to revolt as I could not take the insult to Shivsainiks."
During one of the sessions of the three-day Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan held in Delhi, Gorhe had claimed that Thackeray would not meet MLAs and posts were given in the undivided Shiv Sena in exchange for two Mercedes.
After Shinde visited Mahakumbh to take a holy dip in the Ganga river, Thackeray had said his sins of betraying Maharashtra would not be washed off even after taking a dip in the Ganga. Responding to it, Shinde on Friday said, "Some people tried criticising me, but they actually insulted Mahakumbh. I went to take a holy dip at Mahakumbh to wash off the sins committed by them by abandoning Hindutva and Balasaheb Thackeray's thoughts."
"They (Shiv Sena UBT) will keep making allegations, and we will keep working for the common people. That is why we got 15 lakh more votes than UBT. Even now, people are queuing up to join the real Sena as they have trust in me," the deputy chief minister said.