Mumbai: Amid a rebellion by six Lok Sabha MPs of his party, an emotional Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray Friday said he had not lost his resolve to fight despite challenges and attacks, but was ready to quit his post if the party didn’t have faith in him.
In his first comments on the impending split in his party for the second time in four years, Thackeray said he has been leading the outfit for over a decade and given the persistent attacks on him, he was ready to quit the top Shiv Sena (UBT) post.
The former Maharashtra CM was addressing a gathering organised to mark the 60th foundation day of the Shiv Sena in Mumbai. None of the rebel Lok Sabha MPs were present at the event.
“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 wasn’t hungry for leadership position and was ready to relinquish the top post, but added the party shouldn’t go into the hands of “traitors”.
Thackeray said for the last 12 to 13 years he has been carrying the responsibility of leading the party and has 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 hasn’t wavered and remains steadfast to face all challenges.
“But I don’t want even a single Shiv Sainik pointing fingers at me that’s I resigned as chief minister (in 2022) and didn’t continue as MLC (in 2026),” he said.
The former CM 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 the 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.
The three Sena (UBT) Lok Sabha MPs who attended the meeting were Arvind Sawant, Anil Desai and Rajabhau Waje besides Sanjay Raut, a Rajya Sabha member. All four were felicitated at the foundation day event in Mumbai.
Speaking further Thackeray slammed the rebel MPs for claims that 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.
The former CM offered apologies to voters for electing these MPs, who now appear set to switch sides.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader hit out out his political opponents who often criticise 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 and claimed he accepted the chief ministers post in 2019 out of sense of responsibility because the BJP had “betrayed” the united Shiv Sena.
The 65-year-old politician said he resigned as CM in June 2022 after a section of his party MLAs, led by now Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, rebelled against his leadership.
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 people’s faith in democratic process was eroding.
The BJP was trying to ensure that only one party remained in the fray and elections were being won by luring legislators from Opposition parties, Thackeray alleged.
A campaign was required to save democratic institutions, he told the gathering.
PTI