Sena Vs Sena: Uddhav Stresses 'No Alliance With BJP', Eknath Claims He 'Discarded' Bal Thackeray’s Ideology

Uddhav ruled out any possibility of reuniting with the BJP. Meanwhile, Shinde slammed Thackeray and his alliance with Congress, claiming it betrayed Balasaheb Thackeray's ideology. 

Shiv Sena, both the Uddhav Thackeray faction and Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's camp, jibed each other while celebrating their foundation day on Wednesday. Sena (UBT) supremo Uddhav Thackeray ruled out any possibility of reuniting with the BJP, accusing them of trying to "finish off" his party. Meanwhile, Shinde slammed Thackeray and his alliance with Congress, claiming it betrayed Balasaheb Thackeray's ideology. 

Udhhav Thackeray Hits Out At Eknath 

Speaking at the 58th Foundation Day event of Shiv Sena, Thackeray asserted that the Narendra Modi government, which took office on June 9, would collapse and be replaced by an I.N.D.I.A bloc-led government.

Thackeray dismissed speculation about a possible post-Lok Sabha poll reconciliation with the BJP, stating, "We will never go with those who tried to finish off the Shiv Sena". He accused the BJP of abandoning the ideology of his father, Balasaheb Thackeray, for vote bank politics, and characterised BJP Hindutva as "regressive" compared to the "progressive" version his party upheld. 

Eknath Shinde Slams Uddhav

Maharashtra Chief Minister Ekhnath Shinde, speaking on the same occasion at a different venue, criticised Thackeray's coalition with Congress, saying that it betrayed the ideology of Balasaheb Thackeray. "Shiv Sena UBT has won only on Congress's vote bank. They have discarded the ideology of Balasaheb Thackeray," he said. 

"They (Shiv Sena UBT) are now with Congress, but we do not like that and this is why we separated from them and formed the real Shiv Sena. The people believe in us because we are the real Shiv Sena," he added. 

In 2022 the Shiv Sena party faced a split which resulted in a political crisis in the state. Around 40 MLAs including Shinde joined hands with the BJP. Shinde subsequently formed a new party in alliance with the saffron camp to form a new government in the state. The Election Commission allotted the original Shiv Sena name and symbol to the Shinde faction, while Uddhav's camp adopted the name Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray). 

After a massive setback to the BJP-Shiv Sena in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections in the state, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had offered to resign from the post, the proposal that the high command denied.