During the 60th foundation day celebrations of Shiv Sena in Mumbai, Uddhav Thackeray announced on Friday his readiness to resign as the party president if the party workers have lost faith in his leadership. Thackeray’s statement comes amid mounting speculation about a potential split within Shiv Sena (UBT). He expressed openness to a new leader emerging from within the party but firmly opposed the idea of the party falling into what he termed as the hands of betrayers.
The backdrop to Thackeray’s remarks is reports suggesting that several Members of Parliament from Shiv Sena (UBT) might realign themselves with the faction led by Eknath Shinde. Thackeray took the opportunity to apologize to the voters who supported candidates under his leadership, expressing his disappointment over the possible defections.
Thackeray also directed criticism towards the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing it of trying to undermine and dismantle Shiv Sena. He voiced concerns about the political environment in India, suggesting that the country is moving towards a system dominated by a single party.
Addressing the party’s relationship with Congress, Thackeray pointed out that despite a long history of political rivalry, the Congress party has never sought to eliminate Shiv Sena. However, he dismissed any rumors of a merger with Congress, emphasizing that Shiv Sena was established to advocate for the interests of the Marathi people.