Amid a revolt by six Lok Sabha MPs from his party, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Friday declared he was ready to quit his post if the party lacked faith in him. Meanwhile, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde hinted that more defections from the rival camp could be expected.
Thackeray and Shinde addressed separate gatherings in Mumbai organized to mark the 60th foundation day of the united Shiv Sena. None of the rebel Lok Sabha MPs from Shiv Sena (UBT) attended either event.
Speaking at his party's event at Shanmukhananda Hall in Sion, Thackeray asserted that he had not lost his resolve to fight despite challenges and attacks. In his first comments on the impending split in his party for the second time in four years, Thackeray noted that he had led the outfit for over a decade and, given the persistent attacks on him, was ready to step down.
"I would be happy if someone from the party ranks becomes the next Shiv Sena president, but I will not let it pass on in the hands of thieves," an emotional Thackeray told his supporters. He insisted he was not hungry for leadership and was ready to relinquish the top post, but added that the party should not go into the hands of "traitors."
Thackeray said that for the last 12 to 13 years, he had carried the responsibility of leading the party and faced numerous challenges and personal attacks. "If the allegations being levelled against me are true, then I am ready to step down. I have no lust for leadership," he insisted.
Thackeray said he had not wavered and remained steadfast to face all challenges. "But I don't want even a single Shiv Sainik pointing fingers at me that I resigned as chief minister (in 2022) and didn't continue as MLC (in 2026)," he said.
The former chief minister said Shiv Sena (UBT) workers were not disheartened by the latest developments but were instead fired up, seeking to downplay the rebellion in the party's Lok Sabha unit. Defying a whip, six of the nine Lok Sabha MPs of Shiv Sena (UBT) on Thursday skipped a crucial parliamentary party meeting in New Delhi. The MPs who skipped the meet are Nagesh Aashtikar, Sanjay Jadhav, Sanjay Deshmukh, Sanjay Dina Patil, Omprakash Rajenimbalkar, and Bhausaheb Wakchaure.
Thackeray slammed the rebel MPs for claiming they feared the Shiv Sena (UBT) might merge with the Congress. "If we didn't merge with the BJP despite being an ally for 30 years, how can we merge with the Congress? I fear the Maharashtra BJP might merge with the Shinde Sena," he remarked. "We have had severe political differences with the Congress, but it never tried to destroy the Shiv Sena like the BJP is doing," he added.
The former CM offered apologies to voters for electing these MPs, who now appear set to switch sides. Thackeray hit out at his political opponents who often criticize his style of functioning and alleged disconnect with party workers and people. "If I didn't move out to meet party workers and travel across the state, how did all of them win elections? During the (2024) Lok Sabha elections, I held seven to ten meetings in every constituency. They (rebels) became MPs because of the faith of Shiv Sainiks and voters," he asserted.
"The Shiv Sena was not born to merge with anyone. It was created to fight for the rights of Marathi people and protect Hindutva," Thackeray said, claiming he accepted the chief minister's post in 2019 out of a sense of responsibility because the BJP had "betrayed" the united Shiv Sena.
Thackeray claimed the country was moving towards "one party, no election" path, which is against democracy. He said the BJP's "politics of engineering defections" posed a grave threat to democracy and warned that people's faith in the democratic process was eroding.
Addressing the Shiv Sena's foundation day event at NESCO Exhibition Centre in Goregaon, party president and Deputy CM Shinde, in an apparent reference to the buzz of rebel Sena (UBT) MPs switching sides, said, "This is just a trailer and the movie is yet to come," indicating more defections could be in the offing in the rival faction.
Shinde targeted Thackeray, saying introspection should be done on why people are abandoning him. "This is just a trailer and the movie is yet to come. Just see what happens ahead (Yeh to sirf trailer tha. Picture abhi baaki hain. Aage aage dekho hota hain kya)," he said in the backdrop of 'Operation Tiger', hinting that there could be more desertion of public representatives from rival Shiv Sena (UBT).
A fair part of Shinde's combative speech, which lasted nearly an hour, was to target Thackeray. Without naming the Shiv Sena (UBT) president, he said a wolf does not become a tiger by covering itself with a tiger's hide. "These wolves threatened me when I led the revolt (against Thackeray) in 2022," Shinde said.
He asserted one cannot be an heir of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray just by claiming to have blood ties, as the party is not a piece of land. Shinde insisted that the politics of those who forgot the saffron flag has ceased to exist, and added that those who have kept the ideals of Bal Thackeray alive are being badmouthed.
Attacking Thackeray, Shinde said a general must not sit at home; he has to be on the front and fight. Shinde called himself one who leads from the front. Without naming Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, a Thackeray loyalist who has been slamming the rebel MPs and even using expletives against them, Shinde said, "Some dogs bark, but a tiger roars and hunts."
On Raut's attacks on rebel MPs, the Deputy Chief Minister said, "You curse them in the morning and then talk good about them in the evening." Shinde also attacked the Opposition INDIA bloc and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, saying Gandhi is still the captain of the team despite losing polls several times. The former CM noted that parties like Shiv Sena (UBT), RJD, and DMK have faced electoral loss whenever they have aligned themselves with the Congress.
Shinde heaped praises on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for completing 12 years in office and making a record as the longest-serving elected prime minister of the country, surpassing Jawaharlal Nehru.
