Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray slams Eknath Shinde for betrayal

Deserted by most of his Assembly members Chief Minister and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray has pinned all his hopes on grassroots workers to build the party afresh even as legal hawks and MVA leaders have been working all possible ways to save his government that faces imminent danger from the Shinde camp He gave the almond tree analogy as he urged the Sena cadre to help the party rise againThe Sena president vowed to fight his adversaries in the party and outside while addressing the cadre especially district presidents who form the backbone of the Sena structure now shaken by the revolt Keeping the file unaffected when important rank has abandoned him is a top priority for Thackeray as Shinde is likely to make moves to hijack the party on the strength of the numbers he has However the grassroots strength plays an important role as far as Shindersquos success is concernedThackeray slammed Shinde for his betrayal which according to him came even after he had given him every importance a place of pride and the urban development department that no CM had parted with in the pastHe said the Shinde group has accused his son Aaditya ldquoIs it okay if your Shindersquos son becomes an MP But they feel my son should not get a thingrdquoUddhav Thackeray is greeted by Sena workers on the BandraWorli Sea Link on Wednesday PicAshish RajelsquoI knew itrsquoThe CM said he had an inkling that defection could happen and had asked Shinde about it ldquoShinde first refused but then told me he was under pressure from some MLAs to join the BJP I said it was okay but asked him how many people who are with him had been targeted by the BJP I asked him what kind of Shiv Sainik he was and didnrsquot his blood boil after allegations were levelled against my familyrdquoThackeray said he told Shinde that he was not shandh impotent to go with the BJP ldquoI would rather go to the people I wonrsquot succumb to any pressure and sit with the Bharatiya Janata Party that has slapped heinous allegations against my family The BJP will use you and throw you away I told himrdquo added Thackeray in his online address He said it was BJPrsquos strategy to use turncoats to attack the opposite parties and he had told Shinde so Aaditya Thackeray leaves Matoshree for Sena Bhavan at Dadar on Friday PicSameer MarkandelsquoWill fight onrsquo Thackeray said many people asked him about leaving the CMrsquos official residence Varsha because it indicated that he has quit fighting ldquoBut let me tell you Irsquom not that kind I have forbidden greed to stay at Varsha but not my fighting spirit I quit what was not minerdquo Thackeray said ldquoI donrsquot mind if all leave me I will start afresh like an almond tree that is left with no leaf but becomes lush green again Treat the current situation like an almond tree Letrsquos start afreshhelliprdquoHe said the flowers from the tree can be plucked branches cut but its roots cannot be taken away ldquoOur roots are firm with Balasahebrsquos ideologyrdquo The CM said the party has made some people big but he was unable to help them achieve their big dreamsThackeray said he was not emotionally blackmailing the cadre using his father Balasaheb Thackerayrsquos name ldquoWhoever wishes may leave the party go to them Shinde But please take my fatherrsquos photo away Those who left me were never with me The Sena that has roots in Balasahebrsquos ideology will never endhelliprdquo he saidlsquoNo Sena leader visited me when I got cancerrsquoYamini Jadhav rebel MLA explains why she is leaving UddhavByculla MLA Yamini Jadhav who is in Guwahati has revealed the reason for siding with the Shinde group She said she and her husband Yashwant Jadhav were deeply pained because no senior Sena leader came to see her fighting cancer whereas others were visitedShe said they would never quit the Sena rather die as Sainiks ldquoBut there are reasons behind the steps we have taken that the people need to understand It was a hard decision but we had to take itrdquo Since Yaminirsquos husband a former BMC standing committee chairman is on the IT and EDrsquos radar it was said that the shift happened to seek relief She said even during this crisis the couple was not comforted or given guidance ldquoWersquore alone in our fightrdquoIn a video released from Guwahati she said she was crestfallen after she was diagnosed with cancer ldquoNo leader who we expected to visit us and inquire about our wellbeing turned up There was no support Only former Mayor Kishoritai Pednekar visited me She told me how to cope with the ailmentrdquoShe said the canceraffected wives of many MLAs were visited in the hospital ldquoDid they wait for me to go into critical condition before coming to usrdquo she said requesting the Byculla residents and her voters to understand her plight and reasons ldquoByculla people have created history and they will understandrdquo