Mumbai: Deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday hit out at Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray after he flew on the same plane as chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday evening. Shinde said honesty is more important than travelling on a plane. Shinde said Fadnavis knows how dangerous a deceitful friend is. Referring to the split in the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance in 2019, Shinde said Maharashtra had given him (Uddhav Thackeray) the opportunity to travel on a single plane, but he started his journey on the sinking ship of the Congress.“Honesty is more important than travelling on a plane. The dishonesty that was done in 2019, the people of Maharashtra had given him the opportunity to travel on a single plane, but he started his journey on the sinking ship of the Congress. Devendra Fadnavis knows how dangerous a deceitful friend is,” Shinde said.Thackeray and Fadnavis travelled from Mumbai to Nagpur. Apart from Uddhav Thackeray, his son, MLA Aaditya Thackeray, MP Sanjay Raut, former MP Vinayak Raut and MP Anil Desai were also on the same plane. Uddhav Thackeray was travelling to Nagpur to address rallies in constituencies of rebel MPs starting in Yavatmal in Vidarbha. CM Fadnavis and Uddhav Thackeray spoke to each other and Raut also spoke to Fadnavis. Since 2019, political discord has arisen between the CM and Uddhav Thackeray and their political paths have diverged.Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant said this was just a coincidence and this was a service flight and not a chartered plane. “This was not a chartered flight, so it was a regular service flight. The CM must be travelling to Nagpur to his constituency,” Sawant said.Uddhav Thackeray is touring the constituencies of all 6 rebel MPs and is starting the tour from Yavatmal, Hingoli, Parbhani and Dharashiv. He will then visit Shirdi. Sena (UBT) functionaries said Uddhav Thackeray will also hold meetings with office bearers of all 6 rebel MPs’ constituencies.Thackeray visited shakhas in North-East Mumbai in Bhandup and Kanjurmarg, the constituency of rebel MP Sanjay Dina Patil last Sunday.
