Regret that I didn't break away & ally with BJP in 2019: Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde

THANE: CM Eknath Shinde said on Saturday that he rued the fact that he did not defy the Shiv Sena's orders and align with the BJP instead of being part of the MVA in 2019.
Speaking at a Q&A session, he said, "Balasaheb (Thackeray) had said he would shut shop (Sena) but won't collaborate with the Congress and the NCP. That is exactly what we did. I feel I should have taken this step 2.5 years ago.When I met PM Modi and home minister Amit Shah, I asked them about the closed door meeting in 2019 over the CM seat-sharing formula. They denied having made any such commitment." Defending the BJP, he dismissed theories of it having triggered a split in the Sena. "Modi and Shah told me that if the BJP supported you and Nitish Kumar as CM despite having the majority, then it would definitely have honoured its commitment (to Uddhav Thackeray) if it was made," he said.
Remarking that it was the BJP that had elevated an ordinary Sainik to CM's post, he justified his rebellion, saying it was only to keep "Balasaheb's Sena from being overpowered by its newfound allies". Targeting NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Shinde claimed that many from rival camps were keen to align with his group but had been rejected because the government had the numbers. On stalling projects okayed by the MVA, he said most decisions had been taken when the MVA was in a minority.