Sena muddle: Uddhav says ready to quit; Shinde says there is more to come

Facing a revolt by 6 Lok Sabha MPs of his party, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Friday (June 19) said he was ready to quit his post if the party didn't have faith in him, while his opponent and Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde hinted at more defections from the rival camp.

Thackeray and Shinde addressed separate gatherings in Mumbai organised to mark the 60th foundation day of the united Shiv Sena. None of the rebel Lok Sabha MPs of the Shiv Sena (UBT) was present at either of the events.

‘Party shouldn’t go into hands of traitors’: Thackeray

Addressing his party's event at the Shanmukhananda Hall in Sion, Thackeray asserted he had not lost his resolve to fight despite challenges and attacks.

In his first comments on the impending split in his party for the second time in four years, Thackeray said he has been leading the outfit for over a decade and given the persistent attacks on him, he was ready to quit the top Shiv Sena (UBT) post.

"I would be happy if someone from the party ranks becomes the next Shiv Sena president, but I will not let it pass on into the hands of thieves," an emotional Thackeray told his supporters.

Also Read: Shiv Sena (UBT) moves to disqualify six Lok Sabha MPs amid merger bid with Shinde faction

He insisted he wasn't hungry for leadership position and was ready to relinquish the top post, but added the party shouldn't go into the hands of "traitors".

Thackeray said for the last 12 to 13 years he has been carrying the responsibility of leading the party and has faced numerous challenges and personal attacks.

‘No lust for leadership’

"If the allegations being levelled against me are true, then I am ready to step down. I have no lust for leadership," he insisted.

Thackeray said he hasn't wavered and remains steadfast to face all challenges.

"But I don't want even a single Shiv Sainik pointing fingers at me. That's why I resigned as chief minister (in 2022) and didn't continue as MLC (in 2026)," he said.

Also Read: Another Sena breakaway? Six MPs push Uddhav to the brink

The former CM said Shiv Sena (UBT) workers were not disheartened by the latest developments but were instead fired up, seeking to downplay the rebellion in the party's Lok Sabha unit.

Defying a whip, six of the nine Lok Sabha MPs of the Shiv Sena (UBT) on Thursday (June 18) skipped a crucial parliamentary party meeting in New Delhi. The MPs who skipped the meet are Nagesh Aashtikar, Sanjay Jadhav, Sanjay Deshmukh, Sanjay Dina Patil, Omprakash Rajenimbalkar, and Bhausaheb Wakchaure.

Slams claims of merging with Congress

Speaking further, Thackeray slammed the rebel MPs for claims that they feared the Shiv Sena (UBT) might merge with the Congress.

"If we didn't merge with the BJP despite being an ally for 30 years, how can we merge with the Congress? I fear the Maharashtra BJP might merge with the Shinde Sena," he remarked.

"We have had severe political differences with the Congress, but it never tried to destroy the Shiv Sena like the BJP is doing," he added.

The former CM offered apologies to voters for electing these MPs, who now appear set to switch sides.

Also Read: At 60, Shiv Sena battles its biggest survival crisis; will the tiger roar again?

The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader hit out at his political opponents who often criticise his style of functioning and alleged disconnect with party workers and people.

"If I didn't move out to meet party workers and travel across the state, how did all of them win elections. During the (2024) Lok Sabha elections, I held seven to ten meetings in every constituency. They (rebels) became MPs because of the faith of Shiv Sainiks and voters," he asserted.

"The Shiv Sena was not born to merge with anyone. It was created to fight for the rights of Marathi people and protect Hindutva," Thackeray said, and claimed he accepted the chief minister’s post in 2019 out of a sense of responsibility because the BJP had "betrayed" the united Shiv Sena.

Country moving towards ‘one party, no election’: Uddhav

Thackeray claimed the country was moving towards "one party, no election" path which is against democracy.

He said the BJP's "politics of engineering defections" posed a grave threat to democracy and warned that people's faith in the democratic process was eroding.

‘Just a trailer, movie yet to come’: Shinde

Addressing the Shiv Sena's foundation day event at NESCO Exhibition Centre in Goregaon, party president and deputy CM Shinde, in an apparent reference to the buzz of rebel Sena (UBT) MPs switching sides, said this is just a trailer and the movie is yet to come, indicating more defections could be in the offing in the rival faction.

Shinde targeted Thackeray, and said introspection should be done on why people are abandoning him.

Also Read: Sanjay Raut alleges Rs 50 crore offered to Sena (UBT) MPs to defect

"This is just a trailer and the movie is yet to come. Just see what happens ahead (Yeh too sirf trailer tha. Picture abhi baaki hain. Aage aage dekho hota hain kya)," he said in the backdrop of “Operation Tiger”, hinting that there could more desertion of public representatives from the rival Shiv Sena (UBT).

Shinde targets Thackeray

A fair part of Shinde's combative speech, which lasted for nearly an hour, was to target Thackeray.

Without naming the Shiv Sena (UBT) president, he said a wolf doesn't become a tiger by covering itself with tiger's hide.

"These wolves threatened me when I led the revolt (against Thackeray) in 2022," Shinde said.

He asserted that one cannot be an heir of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray just by claiming to have blood ties as the party is not a piece of land.

Shinde insisted politics of those who forgot the saffron flag has ceased to exist and added that those who have kept the ideals of Bal Thackeray alive are being badmouthed.

Also Read: Operation Tiger buzz: Why Uddhav's Sena is bracing for tough days | Capital Beat

Attacking Thackeray, Shinde said a general must not sit at home. He has to be on the front and fight. Shinde called himself one who leads from the front.

Without naming Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, a Thackeray loyalist who has been slamming the rebel MPs and even using expletives against them, Shinde said, "some dogs bark, but a tiger roars and hunts".

On Raut's attacks on rebel MPs, the deputy chief minister said, "You curse them in the morning and then talk good about them in the evening."

Attacks Rahul Gandhi

Shinde also attacked the Opposition INDIA bloc and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

He said Rahul is still the captain of the team despite losing polls several times.

The former CM noted that parties like the Shiv Sena (UBT), RJD, and DMK have faced electoral loss whenever they have aligned themselves with the Congress.

Shinde heaped praises on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for completing 12 years in office and making a record as the longest-serving elected prime minister of the country, surpassing Jawaharlal Nehru.

(With agency inputs)