Uddhav Thackeray further said, “They have betrayed me, split the party. They should seek votes using their own fathers’ images. Stop begging for votes, using the images of the father of Shiv Sena.”
Mumbai: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray in an interview with party spokesperson Sanjay Raut alleged former Sena Loyalist Eknath Shinde of trying to bring him down even when he was unwell in hospital and could barely move.
He termed the rebels “rotten leaves” of a tree and said that had to be shed to make way for new leaves.”My government is gone, the Chief Minister’s post is gone, I have no regrets. But my people turned out to be traitors. They were trying to pull down my government when I was recovering from my surgery,” Uddhav Thackeray said in the Saamana interview.
“The Shiv Sena would win the battle in courts and on the streets”, he added.
Uddhav Thackeray further said, “They have betrayed me, split the party. They should seek votes using their own fathers’ images. Stop begging for votes, using the images of the father of Shiv Sena.”
Mr. Thackeray said at a time he was recovering from a major neck surgery that left him temporarily unable to use his limbs, he heard reports that “some were praying for my health and others were praying that he stayed unwell.”
Describing about his pain after the surgery Mr. Thackeray said “I am paksha pramukh, head of the family, but I couldn’t even move after the surgery – at that time they were actively conspiring against me. I will always live with this painful reality. I had entrusted someone with the party, giving him the status of number two. I had trusted you to take care of the party, you broke that trust,” Mr. Thackeray said, appearing to address Chief MinisterEknath Shinde directly.
Mr. Thackeray further said the rebels resented that he had been able to keep the Shiv Sena thriving even after Bal Thackeray’s death. “They want to separate Shiv Sena from the Thackerays,” he alleged, comparing it to “separating the Congress from the Gandhis.”
The Shiv Sena chief accused the BJP of trying to appropriate great leaders of other parties. “The way they tried to appropriate Sardar Patel from the Congress, they are doing the same thing with my father,” the former CM claimed.
Team Thackeray has requested the Supreme Court to stop the Election Commission from deciding on who has control of the party until a decision is taken on the disqualification of the rebels. Shinde Sena, after forming the government with the BJP’s support, claims it is the “real Sena”.
The Election Commission has told both the Sena factions to produce documentary evidence by August 8 to prove who represents the Maharashtra party.
Warning the rebels to not use the Shiv Sena founder and his father’s photo Mr. Thackeray said “I dare them to try and separate Thackeray and Shiv Sena. Don’t use my father’s photo for votes. Everyone should use their own parents’ photos for votes. Unfortunately, my parents are not alive, but they (rebels) should take the blessings of their parents and campaign, give speeches and seek votes. Why steal my father? You have no dedication, no sense of duty, no courage – are you not man enough? You are a traitor,” Mr. Thackeray lashed out.
Blaming himself the most for the turmoil Mr. Thackeray said “I put too much trust in some Sena workers and leaders. It is my mistake to have trusted them for such a long time.”
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