Uddhav Thackeray hit out at the rebel Shiv Sena group for keeping mum when the BJP targeted and “abused” him and his family in the last two-and-a-half years.
Mumbai: Amid a tussle with the rebel faction led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to claim the party’s poll symbol, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Friday, July 8, said he would not let the rebels use the Shiv Sena’s poll symbol.
“There is no pressure on us. The ‘bow and arrow’ symbol will remain Shiv Sena’s poll symbol,” Uddhav told the party cadre at an event.
“I challenge them to hold assembly elections today. If we have done wrong, people will send us home. And if this is what you had to do, then you should have done it two and half years ago, and it would have been done respectfully. There would be no need for all this to happen. No one can take the bow and arrow symbol from the Shiv Sena. However, people don’t look at only the symbol, they look at the person who has taken the symbol” Mr Thackeray said.
Thackeray hit out at the rebel Shiv Sena group for keeping mum when the BJP targeted and “abused” him and his family in the last two-and-a-half years.
“You keep in touch with them and betray your own party like this,” he said without naming Shinde.
He said the Supreme Court’s on July 11 will decide not just the future of Shiv Sena, but also the future of Indian democracy. The top court is set to decide on a petition seeking disqualification of 16 rebel Shiv Sena MLAs as well as Team Thackeray’s move against Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari’s decision to invite Eknath Shinde to form government in the state.
“We are concerned about democracy and the constitution. I have faith in the judiciary. Everyone is watching what decision the judiciary will make. People are watching to see how strong our democracy is. I am not worried about the decision. The law will take its course,” he said.
Eknath Shinde, backed by the BJP, led a coup in the Shiv Sena against party chief Uddhav Thackeray, drawing most MLAs on his side and bringing down his government.
Mr Shinde was sworn in as Maharashtra Chief Minister on June 30, with the BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis as his deputy.
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