Eknath Shinde says he toppled Uddhav's Govt to protect Balasaheb's ideology: 'It requires courage'
Uddhav Thackeray’s government was toppled in June 2022 due to internal rebellion within the Shiv Sena and shifting political alliances. The crisis began when Shinde, along with a large group of MLAs, revolted against Uddhav’s leadership.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray. Without naming Thackeray, Shinde said he had brought about a change in power to uphold the ideology and self-respect of Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray.
Addressing a public rally in Satara, Shinde said the Shiv Sena continues to move forward on the thoughts and principles of Balasaheb Thackeray.
“When Balasaheb’s ideology was abandoned in Maharashtra and opposing ideas were promoted, this self-respecting Eknath Shinde overthrew the government and brought the Mahayuti to power. Doing this requires courage,” he said.
Shinde further stated that the land of Satara is blessed by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and that every particle of its soil is infused with patriotism.
“When attempts were made to mortgage self-respect, I stood firm and established a government in Maharashtra that follows Balasaheb Thackeray’s ideology,” he added.
The rally was held in the backdrop of the Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections and saw a large turnout, including women beneficiaries of the ‘Ladki Bahin’ scheme. Shinde thanked the public for gathering in large numbers at short notice.
Shiv Sena split
Uddhav Thackeray’s government in Maharashtra was toppled in June 2022 due to internal rebellion within the Shiv Sena and shifting political alliances. The crisis began when senior Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde, along with a large group of MLAs, revolted against Uddhav Thackeray’s leadership.
Shinde argued that the party had compromised its core ideology by aligning with the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) to form the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in 2019.
The rebels claimed they represented the “real” Shiv Sena and withdrew support from the coalition government, reducing it to a minority. Amid legal battles and political uncertainty, the Governor ordered a floor test to prove majority. Before the test could take place, Uddhav Thackeray resigned as Chief Minister.
Subsequently, Eknath Shinde formed a new government with the support of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), becoming the Chief Minister.