During the 60th anniversary celebration of Shiv Sena in Mumbai, Uddhav Thackeray, the party’s president, expressed his willingness to resign if the party workers lost faith in his leadership. His statement comes amidst growing speculation about a possible rift within Shiv Sena (UBT). Thackeray emphasized his openness to a new leader emerging from within the party ranks but firmly opposed the idea of the party being taken over by individuals he labeled as traitors.
This development occurs as reports surface suggesting that several Members of Parliament from Shiv Sena (UBT) might be considering a shift in loyalty to the faction led by Eknath Shinde. Thackeray expressed regret to the voters who supported candidates under his leadership and conveyed his disillusionment regarding the potential defections.
Thackeray also directed criticism towards the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing it of efforts to undermine and disband his party. He voiced concerns about the political landscape in India trending towards a single-party dominance, which he finds alarming.
While addressing his party’s relationship with Congress, Thackeray acknowledged the long-standing rivalry between the two but pointed out that Congress had never attempted to obliterate Shiv Sena. Despite this acknowledgment, he dismissed the idea of merging with Congress, reaffirming that Shiv Sena was established to advocate for the interests of the Marathi community.