Weeks ahead of the Shinde-Fadnavis government completing one year, CM Ekanth Shinde left for a three-day ‘leave’ to Jammu-Kashmir on Thursday.
Shidne visited the Vaishno Devi temple on Thursday with his family. In April, CM Shinde’s three-day visit to his village near Mahabaleshwar had sparked a controversy with Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray saying that even as conflict in Barsu escalated, the CM was on leave in his farm counting strawberries. CM Shinde had then said that he wasn’t on vacation, but on double duty.
Officials said CM Shinde and his family arrived in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday. From there, with the help of a special helicopter, they reached Panchi helipad directly from Jammu. The Vaishno Devi temple committee officials and police officers welcomed CM Shinde after which, at 3.45pm, they went to the Vaishno Devi temple.
Officials said CM Shinde will discuss temple arrangements and tourism with the authorities in Jammu and Kashmir. The Vaishno Devi temple committee felicitated CM Shinde, presenting him with a holy ‘chunri’. CM Shinde’s son MP Shrikant Shinde had also accompanied them on the trip.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said the CM had gone to Kashmir with the burden of cabinet expansion on him. “If at all the cabinet expansion happens, there will be blasts after that. I’m told that in his meeting with CM Shinde, (Union Home Minister) Amit Shah has told the CM to remove four sitting ministers,” Raut said.
