Aaditya Thackeray seeks transparency on Maha CM's trip to Germany, UK

Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA and ex-minister Aaditya Thackeray on Monday strongly criticised Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde’s upcoming trip to Germany and United Kingdom, and demanded that his schedule of engagements be released in advance.

The CM is likely to visit Germany and UK for around 10 days starting end-September, the official details of which are yet to be announced.

Thackeray said while he had no objections to such foreign trips if they brought investment or recognition to the state and nation, “it cannot be like his Davos trip, where the government spent almost Rs 40 crore on a 28-hour holiday” in January 2023.

“There were no meeting schedules, no photos, no outcome from Davos. Not even a day-long schedule was released… And the government still hides the real expenses of the trip,” alleged Thackeray.

Now, the Sena (UBT) leader has called upon the CMO to release Shinde’s 10-day trip schedules in advance, before he flies out, and to post the outcomes of his meetings/ photos on social media.

“A day’s work must not expand to a week for someone’s holiday. Or else, the trip is just a holiday at the expense of taxpayers,” said Thackeray.

Shinde, accompanied by some state ministers and officials, is reportedly likely to study Germany's highway design, maintenance and management systems in Berlin.

Later, he is expected to travel to London to sign an MoU for the return of the famed ‘wagh nakh’ (steel tiger claws) used by Chhatrapati Shivaji, and kept in a London museum, as announced earlier this month.