Maharashtra: Face mid term polls if you have courage, Uddhav Thackeray’ challenge to Shinde-Fadnavis government

Minutes after the Chief Minister Eknath Shinde led government won the trust vote in the state assembly on Monday, the former CM and Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray challenged the Shinde-Fadnavis alliance government to face the midterm election if it had the courage. Thackeray, who had announced that he will regularly visit the Shiv Sena Bhavan and rebuild the party, on Monday during his interaction with district chiefs and other officer bearers alleged that the BJP has hatched a plot to politically finish the Shiv Sena.

Thackeray’s challenge came a day after the NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Sunday at the meeting with the party MLAs had hinted at the midterm elections saying that the Shinde-Fadnavis government may fall in five to six months due to the internal contradictions and unrest among the legislators.

Thackeray, who has yet to recover from the rebellion by Shinde camp, Uddhav said, "If you want to fight, stay with me. BJP's instinct is to end Shiv Sena. Let's go to the people's court instead of playing such a game. If we are wrong, people will make us stay at home. If you )Shinde-Fadnavis alliance) are wrong, people will make you stay at home ”. He also challenged the new alliance to hold mid-term elections if they have the courage.

Thackeray requested the constitutional experts to speak., ‘’You are Constitutional experts. What is happening now is to tweak the Constitution written by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar,’’ he claimed. His obvious reference was the ongoing tussle between his camp and the Shinde camp over the disqualification of legislators and defection of party MLAs.

‘’Let everyone speak the truth about what has started in Maharashtra in the 75th year of India’s independence. It is an insult to the constitution to run the assembly in an arbitrary manner, ” Thackeray alleged.