Maharashtra political crisis: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray finally broke his silence on Wednesday in a 17-minute-long webcast on Facebook. He said he is ready to quit if even one of disgruntled MLAs says he doesn't want me as chief minister. "Will quit as chief minister and leave official residence if even one of the disgruntled MLAs says he doesn't want me as CM," Thackeray said.
Thackeray's government has been pushed to the brink of collapse by rebel Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde. Thackeray who tested positive for COVID-19 earlier in the day said he was ready to give up the post of Shiv Sena president as well if Shiv Sainiks feel that he isn’t capable of heading the party.
“Why make statements from Surat and other places? Come and tell me to my face that I am incompetent to handle the posts of chief minister and Shiv Sena president. I will resign immediately. I will keep my resignation letter ready and you can come and take it to Raj Bhavan," Thackeray said.
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Disgruntled Thackeray said "CM posts will come and go but the real asset is the affection of the people. In the past 2 years, I was fortunate enough to get a lot of affection from people." "I am ready to give my resignation to the MLAs, they should come here and take my resignation to Raj Bhavan. I am ready to leave the post of Shiv Sena party head also, not on the saying of others but my workers," he added.
Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government is battling a survival crisis following the rebellion of senior Sena minister Shinde and a sizeable number of MLAs belonging to the Uddhav Thackeray-led party. Earlier in the day, Shinde asserted that 40 MLAs from Maharashtra have accompanied him to Assam's Guwahati and they are committed to Balasaheb Thackeray's 'Hindutva' ideology.
Shiv Sena Legislature Party resolution carrying signatures of 34 rebel MLAs stating that Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde remains as leader of Shiv Sena Legislature Party was sent to Governor of Maharashtra Bhagat Singh Koshyari.
Also Read | Maharashtra: 'Missing' Shiv Sena MLA returns from Surat, says he was forcibly admitted to hospital
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