On the 99th birth anniversary of Shiv Sena founder, the late Balasaheb Thackeray, Mabharashtra again witnessed a war of inheritance between his son Uddhav Thackeray and the rebel Shiv Sainik, Eknath Shinde, now the state’s deputy chief minister.
Both the factions of Shiv Sena clashed over Balasaheb’s legacy, proclaiming their allegiance to the principles laid down by him. While Thackeray insisted he hasn't relinquished Hindutva, Shinde dramatically said he will work for the state till the last drop of his blood, calling upon all Shiv Sainiks to join him.
Thackeray’s claim holds significance, considering that he is said to have lost votes due to allegiance to the Congress. Incidentally, Maha Kumbh is attracting Hindus from Maharashtra as the rest of the country and the Ram Temple in Ayodhya is celebrating its first anniversary.
Addressing a rally at Bandra Kurla Complex, Shinde said there will be no compromise on the Shiv Sena’s and its founder’s ideals and the party’s self-respect. “We are the inheritors of Balasahebs legacy.
People have put their seal on it Shinde asserted, adding that they won 60 of the contested Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde offer tributes to Balasaheb Thackeray on his birth anniversary on Thursday — Pics: Vijay Gohil, Anil Shiinde & Salman Ansari 80 seats, while Shiv Sena (UBT) won 20 out of 97 contested seats. “This is a spectacular victory. People have given their verdict and have shown which Shiv Sena is real,” said the leader.
Meanwhile, at Andheri Sports Complex, Uddhav Thackeray bowed to Hindutva espoused by his late father Balasaheb and his grandfather Prabodhakar Thackeray. “I have never quit Hindutva. In fact, the patriotic Muslims too have adopted the one we follow;” said the leader.
He added that they lost to the propaganda by the BJP that he left the Hindutva ideology. “But their Hindutva is decayed and moldy,” he fired, and dared the BJP to discard the green colour from their party flag.
Thackeray said, “Their Hindutva is anti-Marathi and anti-Maharashtrian and we will stand in between them and the interests of the Marathi and Maharashtrians. Let them take at least one election on the ballot paper. ‘We still doubt the EVMs as it has done something wrong in the assembly elections.”
“I will show you what a wounded tiger means,” said Uddhav, referring to the criticism by Home Minister Amit Shah, who recently said the BJP had shown Thackeray his place. While taking on both the BJP and the Shinde-led Sena, Uddhav admitted to a sense of complacency that emerged after the Lok Sabha elections. “They took advantage of it. But I will not run away from the battle unleashed,” said the leader.
