Maharashtra: Let rebels use their parents to win polls, says Uddhav Thackeray

Uddhav Thackeray during the inauguration of Shiv Sena Sakha 205, at Abhuday Nagar on July 24. Pic/Ashish Raje

Former chief minister and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray has accused the breakaway group of hatching a conspiracy to topple his government while he was in a hospital. He said CM Eknath Shinde and his faction were trying to usurp the legacy of his father and Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray for seeking votes. He asked the rebels to use their own parents to earn a public mandate in the elections.

Thackeray said this in a marathon interview in the party's mouthpiece daily Saamna on Tuesday. The first part of the interview with executive editor and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut had many statements Thackeray has been making ever since the rebellion broke out and caused his government's exit last month, in collaboration with the BJP, which he accused of making efforts to eliminate the Sena.

Thackeray said Eknath Shinde was made number two in Sena and yet he betrayed the president and the party. File pic

"Some people wished for my bad health. The same people are out to drown the party. When I couldn't stand [because of the ailment] and I couldn't move my body, they were planning a transfer of power," he said. Thackeray said the rebels were like dry leaves that have dropped dead from a tree called Shiv Sena. "The tree will grow new leaves soon. The dead leaves cannot sever ties with the Shiv Sainiks," he said, adding that Shinde was made number two in the party and yet he betrayed the president and the party.

He accused the BJP of breaking promises time and again. "The situation would have been averted had there been a distribution of power between us and them in 2019. They wouldn't need to spend so much money. The BJP does not want Hindutva to be shared. The Sena does its politics for Hindutva, while the BJP's Hindutva is for politics," he added, recalling the measures his government had taken to advocate its Hindutva agenda.

Thackeray challenged the BJP and Shinde to face elections. "People's court will decide who wins and who goes home. The rebels will have to merge with some party and that will make the BJP uneasy." He said Shinde's greed was demonic. "I treated them as my family. But it was a mistake. What difference would it have made if Shinde was made the CM then [in 2019]? His greed is undying. What more does he want?"

Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis said he did not want to comment on a fixed match, referring to Uddhav's interview. "I watch live games. I don't need to comment now. Whatever needs to be said would be said at an appropriate time."

Shinde group's spokesperson Deepak Kesarkar said Shinde was promised the CM's position, but Uddhav Thackeray did not keep his word. "Balasaheb kept his word. Shinde has gone with the party which believes in Hindutva. Why are they opposing it now? The party workers should understand how they are being provoked and their sentiments manipulated," he said, adding that Shinde had proposed to Thackeray to join hands with the BJP and continue as the CM. "He should tell why he chose the other way."