In a bold move on Tuesday, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray challenged Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar for a public debate to determine the real faction of Shiv Sena.
The development comes almost a week after Mr. Narwekar’s ruling declaring the Shinde’s faction as the legitimate Sena, while simultaneously dismissing disqualification petitions filed by both Shinde and Thackeray factions against each other’s MLAs following the split in the party in June 2022.
Speaking at a mega town hallesque meeting at Worli’s NSCI dome after explaining the discrepancies in Mr. Narwekar’s order, Mr. Thackeray said, “I am taking this battle to the people’s court.”
The former Chief Minister questioned the legitimacy of the ruling and said if he was not the Shiv Sena chief, why did the Bharatiya Janata Party seek his support in 2014 and 2019 after the Lok Sabha elections?
“If I was not the Shiv Sena chief, why did the BJP seek my support in 2014 and 2019 after Lok Sabha elections,” he asked.
Mr. Thackeray farmed the battle between his faction and Chief Minister Shinde-led faction of Shiv Sena as pivotal in determining the fate of democracy in the country. This battle, he asserted, would decide whether democracy would prevail in the country.
