Karnataka CM Bommai’s ‘territorial claims’ a bid to divert attention from Governor’s Koshyari’s remarks on Chhatrapati Shivaj

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut alleges “a big conspiracy” behind Mr. Bommai’s sudden ‘attack’ on the Maharashtra government,

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai ‘territorial claims’ on Maharashtra’s Sangli and Solapur districts was part of “a conspiracy” to divert the public’s ire against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the objectionable remarks made against Chhatrapati Shivaji by Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari and BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi, claimed Uddhav Thackeray-led led Shiv Sena faction MP Sanjay Raut on Friday.

Alleging “a big conspiracy” behind Mr. Bommai’s sudden ‘attack’ on the Maharashtra government, Mr. Raut said: “There is a wave of anger among Maharashtra’s public over the insulting remarks and mudslinging against Chhatrapati Shivaji done through Governor Koshyari and Sudhanshu Trivedi. In order to divert attention and make the public forget this insult, Bommai has been pushed forward to stake claim on territory in Maharashtra and re-ignite the border dispute.”  

Earlier this week, the Karnataka CM had stirred the political cauldron by remarking that his BJP government seriously considering” a resolution to include Jat taluk in western Maharashtra’s Sangli district. After an irate reaction by the opposition ‘Maha Vikas Aghadi’ parties (of the Thackeray-led Sena faction, the NCP and the Congress), Maharashtra Deputy CM and State BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis said there was no question of the state ceding an inch of land to Karnataka.

Following this, Mr. Bommai upped the ante by stating that Solapur city and Akkalkot (in Solapur district) ought to part of Karnataka as well.

Commenting on Mr. Bommai’s ‘brinksmanship’, Mr. Raut said it was not everyday that a BJP CM of a state attacked the CM or Deputy CM of a neighbouring BJP-ruled State.

“The BJP is a disciplined party. One never finds [Uttar Pradesh CM] Yogi Adityanath attacking his party colleague and Gujarat counterpart or the latter lashing out at the Karnataka CM in this manner. So, this is a pre-decided script written for the Karnataka CM in order to lessen the impact of prevailing public anger against the BJP in Maharashtra for comments made by Mr. Koshyari and Mr. Trivedi,” claimed Mr. Raut.

 While the Governor is facing the opprobrium from the opposition MVA parties for recently calling the 17 th century Maratha king “an icon for older times” (hinting that Shivaji’s ideals were outmoded), Mr. Trivedi had remarked during a TV debate that Chhatrapati Shivaji had ‘apologised’ to the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb no less than five times.