'Where has your Hindutva gone...': On Shiv Sena's foundation day, Eknath Shinde fires salvo at Uddhav Thackeray

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde launched a sharp attack on Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, saying he had lost the right to seek votes in the name of the party’s founder, Balasaheb Thackeray.

"Where has your Hindutva gone?,” Shinde said during a rally marking the foundation day of the Shiv Sena. He accused the Shiv Sena (UBT) of abandoning Balasaheb’s ideology for vote bank politics and relying on Congress' support for electoral gains. 

"Shiv Sena UBT has won only on Congress' vote bank," Shinde stated. “The people believe in us because we are the real Shiv Sena.”

Addressing the recent Lok Sabha elections, Shinde termed the Shiv Sena (UBT)’s success as fleeting. "It’s a swelling that will go away in due course," he said, pointing to the nine seats won by Uddhav Thackeray’s faction compared to the seven secured by Shinde's faction. 

Shinde emphasized the enduring influence of his faction in strongholds like Kalyan, Thane, and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, highlighting the party's robust support base. Shinde, who became Chief Minister after revolting against Uddhav Thackeray's leadership in June 2022, reaffirmed his political resilience and vowed to win more seats in the upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections. "We have to strengthen Mahayuti in Maharashtra for the upcoming assembly elections. I assure you all that we will win more seats," he declared, underscoring his alliance with the BJP and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP.

Shinde accused Uddhav Thackeray of lacking the moral authority to invoke Bal Thackeray’s legacy, pointing to the Shiv Sena's substantial retention of its original vote share as evidence of continued influence. "I will protect voters' trust shown in the Lok Sabha elections," he pledged, asserting his commitment to upholding the party's core values and voter trust.