The Shiv Sena (UBT) on Wednesday expressed strong disapproval of its ally and NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar felicitating Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde at an event in Delhi.

It was Shinde who split the Shiv Sena with the help of Amit Shah, and felicitating him was akin to honouring the BJP leader, said Sena (UBT) spokesperson Sanjay Raut.

Shinde was on Tuesday honoured with the Mahadji Shinde Rashtra Gaurav Puraskar at the hands of Pawar and in the presence of Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on the occasion of the 98th Akhil Bhartiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan.

Pawar heads the reception committee of the literary meet, scheduled to start next week.

Raut said Pawar should not have attended the event, as Shinde toppled the Uddhav Thackeray-led government of the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress in Maharashtra in 2022 by resorting to "betrayal".

"Certain things should be avoided in politics. Yesterday, Sharad Pawar did not felicitate Shinde, but he felicitated Amit Shah. This is our feeling," said the Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha member, speaking to reporters in Delhi.

"Giving such an honour to someone we consider an enemy of Maharashtra is a jolt to Maharashtra's pride. Pawar must have thought differently, but such politics has not gone down well with the people of Maharashtra," Raut said.

"You (Sharad Pawar) are a senior politician, and we respect you. But the ones who split Balasaheb Thackeray's Shiv Sena with the help of Amit Shah and weakened Maharashtra, you are honouring such people. This has hurt the sentiments of Marathi people," he said.

"We don't understand your Delhi politics, but we too understand politics," Raut further said.

Asked for a reaction, NCP (SP) MP Amol Kolhe said Raut could be voicing his personal opinion. The event in the national capital was part of the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan, he pointed out.

"He showed statesmanship, where one does not bring politics into everything. I don't think there is anything wrong with that. He is the president of the event (reception committee)," Kolhe added.

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