Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray should have resigned after BJP won three RS seats: Ramdas Athawale

Ramdas Athawale. File Photo

On Saturday, Union minister Ramdas Athawale stated that Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddav Thackeray should have resigned after the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won three Rajya Sabha seats from the state.

Athawale also claimed that Shiv Sena leaders and activists are not happy with the leadership over the party's alliance with the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). He stated that CM Uddhav Thackeray is not taking note of the resentment within his party.

In a major setback to Maharashtra's ruling alliance of MVA -- Shiv Sena, the NCP and the Congress, the BJP won three of the six Rajya Sabha seats in Maharashtra.

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"The BJP has given a severe jolt to the Maha Vikas Aghadi. It is such a jolt that Uddav Thackeray has no right to remain in power. When they have lost, they should have resigned on their own," said Athawale, Union minister of state for social justice and empowerment.

He added, "Former prime minister of the BJP Atal Vihari Bajpayee lost power by just one vote (during a no-confidence motion in 1999). They (Maha Vikas Aghadi) made all-out efforts to defeat the BJP candidates who, however, emerged successful as there is a lot of resentment among the Shiv Sena leaders and activists against the party leadership over the alliance with the Congress and the NCP."

(with inputs from PTI)