THANE: Veteran singer Asha Bhosale lauded the present Shiv Sena chief and deputy CM Eknath Shinde, saying his efforts for the party reminded her of Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray.
Bhosale, who was in Thane on Saturday night for an event held in honour of Shinde’s 61st birthday on Sunday, wished him by singing ‘tum jeeyo hazaaro saal’ in her melodious voice.
“I like you very much… You rose to heights suddenly. Earlier, we never knew that you were working so hard… Balasaheb formed the Shiv Sena single-handedly and after that, you came and re-established the Sena, and so I am proud of you. You took over at the right time… You were targeted by many and faced criticism from all quarters, but still, you managed to silence everyone with your success, and I wish you more in the future,” she said.
Meanwhile, the comments sparked enthusiasm among Shinde supporters. “It is a huge blessing for us that veteran singer Ashatai has accepted our decision, and we feel proud of Shinde Saheb,” said party colleague and transport minister Pratap Sarnaik.
It may be recalled that Shinde rebelled against his former boss Uddhav Thackeray in 2022, citing ideological differences over the alliance with Congress and the NCP, following which he joined hands with the BJP and was elevated as the chief minister.
Shinde, since then, was known to optimise his tenure for the next 2.5 years, announcing welfare schemes and overriding govt protocol while interacting with the common man.
The ageless singer also encouraged Shinde to continue with his noble deeds, which she said would ensure that he would be remembered for eternity. Bhosale also expressed her admiration for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath for their bold demeanour and recounted how the oratory skills and mannerisms of MNS chief Raj Thackeray reminded her of Balasaheb.
