Mumbai: After comparing Chief Minister Eknath Shinde with Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Maharashtra, the political temperature in the state has once again risen. Chief Minister Shinde has been compared to Maharaj Chhatrapati Shivaji by Mangal Prabhat Lodha, Tourism Minister in the Maharashtra government. Mangal Prabhat Lodha has said that Eknath Shinde coming out of Uddhav Camp with his supporters is just like Shivaji Maharaj was freed from the clutches of Mughal ruler Aurangzeb by dodging him in Agra Fort.

This statement of Mangal Prabhat Lodha has been sharply criticized by the opposition. If we turn the pages of history, it was the year 1666 when Shivaji was in the captivity of Mughal ruler Aurangzeb in Agra Fort, hundreds of kilometers away from Maharashtra, during which he showed his cleverness, intelligence, and courage and succeeded in getting out of this captivity. It is said that due to this, Shivaji Maharaj and his son Sambhaji came out of the Agra fort sitting in a crate. After coming out of this captivity, Shivaji became so powerful that he never allowed Aurangzeb and the Mughal Empire to flourish in the Maratha region.

At a function on Wednesday, November 30, Mangal Prabhat Lodha said that just as Chhatrapati made a plan for Swaraj and managed to escape from Aurangzeb's captivity by executing it, Chief Minister Shinde also took the risk and came out of the Uddhav camp. In June this year, Eknath Shinde, along with his 42 MLAs, rebelled against Chief Minister Uddhav and camped in Assam for several days. Finally, after this rebellion, the Uddhav-led MVA government in Maharashtra fell and Eknath Shinde formed the government with the BJP and he became the CM of Maharashtra. The hearing of this defection is also going on in the Supreme Court Court. NCP leader Ajit Pawar termed the statement as unfortunate and shocking, saying it was wrong to compare the valor of the great Maratha king with the cowardly act of Eknath Shinde. This has angered the people of Maharashtra and voters will give a befitting reply through ballot boxes. Even BJP MP Udayan Raje Bhosale has condemned the statement.  

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