Maharashtra Political Crisis: Uddhav Thackeray said Shiv Sena “Betrayed by its own people,”: On a defiant note, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray threatened rebel leader Eknath Shinde and the BJP on Friday night to take away the Shiv Sena cadre and those who vote for the party and also accused the BJP of attempting to destroy the Sena.
He described the ordinary Shiv Sena members as his “wealth” and said he didn’t worry about criticism from others as long as they were with him in a virtual speech to party corporators.
He said that the Shiv Sena had been “betrayed by its people” since his administration was in disarray, with the majority of Sena MLAs joining Eknath Shinde, who is now camped out in Guwahati.
Even though several of you were candidates for the same office, we offered these rebels tickets to run in the assembly elections. These individuals are unhappy because they were elected because of your efforts, and you support the party at this critical juncture. Thackeray, the head of the Shiv Sena, told party members, “I can’t thank you enough.
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“I had instructed Eknath Shinde to investigate grievances involving alliance partners. He informed me that lawmakers were pressuring him to work with the BJP. I asked him to invite these MLAs over so we could talk about it. The BJP mistreated us and broke its promises. Cases have been brought against several of the rebels. So, if they join the BJP, they will become morally upright; if they stick with us, they will do time in prison. Is this a friendly gesture? Mr. Thackery enquired.
“You should leave if a Shiv Sena member is going to become the chief minister” (with the BJP). He reportedly referred to Shinde when he added, “But if you are going to become a deputy chief minister, you should have notified me, I would have appointed you deputy chief minister.”
Mr. Thackeray said he was prepared to step down as party leader if Sena members believed he was unfit to lead the organization.
He said the late Bal Thackeray had started the alliance with the BJP mainly to prevent a split in Hindutva votes. “Shiv Sena is an ideology… BJP wants to kill it out because they don’t want to share the Hindu vote bank with anybody,” he claimed.
According to him, the dissident group has no choice except to join the BJP, and even if it successfully creates a government, it won’t survive long since many of its MLAs aren’t satisfied.
The next election will not be won by the rebels, according to Mr. Thackeray.
He criticized Shinde and the BJP and pushed them to try and win back Shiv Sena supporters.
“You removed those who won elections. But if you have the guts, attempt to remove people who helped you win election,” he said.
“Those who wish to quit are allowed to do so openly,” Mr. Thackeray said. “I will form a new Shiv Sena.”
