2 Deputy CMs lash out at Thackeray for raising border issue

Belagavi, Jan 31 (PTI): Two Deputy Chief Ministers ofKarnataka on Sunday lashed out at Maharashtra Chief MinisterUddhav Thackeray for raking up the border and alleged he wasdoing so to divert attention from infighting in the coalitiongovernment there.

Thackeray had been raising the issue of merger ofBelagavi, Karwar and Nippani which has a strong presence ofMarathi speaking people, with his state.

He had recently demanded that the Marathi speaking regionsin Karnataka be declared a Union Territory till the SupremeCourt gives its final verdict.

Deputy CM Govind Karjol said Thackeray should rememberthat Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, whom the Shiv Sena perceivesas its icon and named its party after him, was ''a Kannadiga.'' ''Thackeray does not know history. Shivaji's forefatherBelliyappa was from Soratur in Gadag district in Karnataka.

When there was drought in Gadag, Belliyappa left forMaharashtra.

Shivaji was the fourth generation of the family,'' Karjolsaid.

He opined that Thackeray had been raising this issue justto divert attention from the infighting in the coalitiongovernment headed by him and fear of losing power Echoing similar views, Deputy CM Laxman Savadi allegedthat the Maharashtra government had failed miserably onvarious counts.

He also alleged that Thackeray could not carry out anypro-people measures during the COVID-19 pandemic due to whichhe was losing his popularity.