Mumbai

Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aditya Thackeray on Monday questioned the BJP-led government's handling of infiltration and criticised its governance, saying the ruling party was focusing on political operations while neglecting key public issues such as inflation, water scarcity, internal security and farmers' welfare.

Speaking to reporters, Thackeray reacted to an editorial that reportedly stated the issue of infiltrators entering the country.

Questioning the BJP's record on the issue, Thackeray said, "Whose government has it been for 12 years? If the government cannot stop these infiltrators in 12 years, then this is the failure of the BJP."

Responding to a question on the Chief Minister's remarks that "Operation Tiger" had been successful, the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said the government should focus on governance and the concerns of ordinary citizens.

"I think you should talk about all these things, but you should also pay attention to the governance that you want to run, which is running very poorly. What is the state of foreign policy? What is the state of internal security? What is the water situation? What is the inflation situation?" Thackeray said.

He further alleged that the government was prioritising politics over administration.

"I think you should show how to run the government. Keep doing all these 'Operation-Foperation' things, but if you don't know how to run the government, then resign. Either keep doing this politics or do some work," he said.

On "Operation Tiger 2", Thackeray reiterated that the government should pay greater attention to the condition of the country and its people.

"Keep doing this, but also look at the condition of the country and the condition of the people sometimes," he said.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader also accused the BJP of ignoring issues concerning farmers, women, healthcare and security.

"BJP doesn't hear any of these things - farmers, women, health, or security. This is what's going on: do this operation, do that, and carry out destruction," Thackeray alleged.

Earlier in the day, Aaditya Thackeray launched a sharp attack on the BJP amid rumours that six rebel Shiv Sena UBT MPs would join the Eknath Shinde-led faction, accusing it of "breaking" UBT Sena's MPs and MLAs to gain enough votes in parliament to change the Constitution.

"Today they are breaking our MPs and MLAs as they are willing to change the constitution of Babasaheb Ambedkar. Voters prevented them in 2024, and they got only 240 MPs, but now they are trying that again by breaking parties; their main aim is to change the constitution," Thackeray said while addressing a press conference here.

His comments come as the party faces intense political turmoil due to what is being dubbed as "Operation Tiger," an alleged move to engineer a defection of several Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs to the Eknath Shinde-led faction.

Thackeray condemned the shifting loyalties of the party's lawmakers, who he said were elected due to the collective efforts of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).

"All these people were elected on Shiv Sena (UBT) with the help of MVA allies, and now they are switching to the other side against the people's mandate," he said.

The UBT leader strongly criticised the BJP-led government's capabilities, claiming, "BJP can riot in the country, put things on rampage, can campaign, but one thing is sure that BJP doesn't know how to rule. We are seeing this in BMC in Mumbai and PMC in Pune."

Aaditya also alleged that the government is misusing public resources to finance these political manoeuvres.

"These people don't have money for salaries of employees and welfare schemes, but they have money to buy MPs," he claimed.

"I think Shiv Sena is just one that is ours, Shiv Sena (UBT), and the other one is a space of BJP and not Shiv Sena Shinde, etc," he said.

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The controversy has intensified after a parliamentary party meeting held in New Delhi on Thursday was attended by only three of the party's nine Lok Sabha MPs. While Arvind Sawant, Anil Desai and Rajabhau Waje attended the meeting, six MPs, including Sanjay Dina Patil, remained absent.