Shiv Sena calls Eknath Shinde a 'traitor', slams BJP in its mouthpiece

New Delhi: The Shiv Sena in its mouthpiece "Saamana" on Tuesday described rebel party MLA Eknath Shinde as a "traitor" and said, "The traitor MLA ran away, being scared of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and CBI."

"Due to the pressure tactics of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED), traitors MLAs along with Shinde fled to Surat," the editorial in Saamana read.

The mouthpiece further said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was trying to induce and pressurize rebel MLAs to support them, adding that Sena leader and minister Eknath Shinde was caught in the saffron party's "trap."

The Sena said that the BJP was constantly trying to "destabilise" the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in the state with the help of the Centre, and defame the MVA by "implicating its leaders in false cases through central investigative agencies."

They also added that the BJP attempted to induce leaders from the government during the Rajya Sabha and Maharashtra Legislative Council (MLC) elections.

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra political crisis took another turn on Wednesday after Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, who has tested positive for COVID-19, moved back to "Matoshree" -- his family home -- from his official residence "Varsha".

The move came shortly after Mr. Thackeray gave an emotional speech through a Facebook live session, saying, "If my own people don't want me as Chief Minister, he should walk up to me and say so... I'm ready to resign... I am Balasaheb's son, I am not after a post... If you want me to resign, let me resign and take all my belongings to Matoshree".

"I'm willing to step down, but can you promise me that the next chief minister will be from Shiv Sena?" he added.