Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Times of India
The Times of India
National
TIMESOFINDIA.COM

Uddhav Thackeray likens Shiv Sena rebels to 'rotten leaves'

MUMBAI: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday compared Eknath Shinde-led rebel party leaders to "rotten leaves" of a tree and demanded fresh elections in Maharashtra to determine which faction has the support of the people in the state.

"The people we will either vote for us or support them. It will be clear once and for all,” the former CM said.

"These rebels are like rotten leaves of a tree and should be shed. It is good for the tree as there will be new leaves,” the former Maharashtra chief minister said in an interview to Shiv Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana'.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to hear on August 1 a fresh plea by Uddhav's faction against Election Commission proceedings on a petition by the Shinde-led group for recognition as the real Shiv Sena.

A rebellion led by Shiv Sena veteran Eknath Shinde and 39 MLAs led to the collapse of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government last month. Shinde was sworn in as the chief minister on June 30 with Devendra Fadnavis of BJP as deputy CM.

Thackeray said it was a mistake that he trusted some of the party leaders too much. Asked who could be blamed for the rebellion, he said, “Looks like I put too much trust in some Sena workers and leaders. It is my mistake to have trusted them for such a long time."

Uddhav also blamed the BJP for trying to break Shiv Sena. "The BJP is not only trying to break the Shiv Sena but also trying to appropriate great leaders of other parties," Thackeray alleged.

"The way they tried to appropriate Sardar Patel from the Congress, they are doing the same thing with my late father, Balasaheb Thackeray, who founded the Shiv Sena,” he claimed.

"Looks like these people are not trustworthy. They are basically causing an infighting among Sena workers," he said.

Thackeray also said the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance was worth a try in politics.

"Had it been a wrong step according to people, they would have risen against our alliance. We had respect for each other in the Maha Vikas Aghadi," the Sena chief said.

(With inputs from agencies)

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.