The NCP on Friday dubbed the Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis government in Maharashtra as a "two-wheel scooter" whose handle is in the hands of the pillion rider and demanded the Shiv Sena rebels apologise to party president Uddhav Thackeray.
State NCP spokesman Mahesh Tapase said the BJP had termed the erstwhile Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) Government as a "three-wheel auto-rickshaw" pulling in different directions when the new dispensation headed by Sena rebel Mr. Shinde itself resembled a two-wheeler.
Mr. Shinde took over as the Chief Minister on June 30.
The MVA consisted of the Shiv Sena, the NCP and the Congress.
"The new government is a two-wheel scooter whose handle is with the pillion rider," he said, apparently referring to BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis, who has been appointed the deputy chief minister.
Mr. Tapase said the Uddhav Thackeray-led party is the "real Shiv Sena" and the rebel MLAs should go to 'Matoshree' (private residence of the Thackeray family in suburban Bandra) and seek forgiveness for raising a banner of revolt, which brought down the MVA Government.
He said NCP president Sharad Pawar has been served a notice by the Income Tax department, while Shiv Sena leaders Sanjay Raut and Anil Parab are being "hounded" by the ED.
"Is it just a coincidence that the MVA Government has collapsed?" he asked.
Referring to the proposed move by the Shinde-Fadnavis government to relocate a Metro car shed in Aarey Colony, declared a reserved forest, he said the previous MVA regime had decided to shift the depot to another site (Kanjurmarg) to protect Mumbai's environment.
He said the CAG had made several negative observations against the Jalyukt Shivar, a water conservation scheme which was discontinued by the MVA administration, but is being revived by the new government.
"The scheme is being revived now to fulfil personal ambitions," the NCP spokesman said.
The scheme was launched when Mr. Fadnavis was the chief minister (2014-19).
