Shinde Slams Uddhav, Says No Difference Between Shiv Sena (UBT) and AIMIM

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday said the Lok Sabha poll success of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) was like a flash in the pan which won't be replicated in the upcoming assembly polls.

Shinde Slams Uddhav

Addressing the Dussehra rally of Shiv Sena at Azad Maidan ground in south Mumbai, Shinde likened the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) with the Asaduddin Owaisi -led AIMIM, suggesting Muslim appeasement politics.

"Maha Vikas Aghadhi's Lok Sabha poll success in Maharashtra was accidental, not permanent. Shiv Sena won 7 seats in a direct fight against Sena (UBT) in the Lok Sabha elections, restricting them to six constituencies. This success shows we are the real Shiv Sena," Shinde added.

Recalling his rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray's leadership in June 2022, Shinde said he freed the real Shiv Sena from the clutches of those who betrayed Balasaheb Thackeray's ideals. 

Uddhav on RSS

The RSS should think whether today's "hybrid BJP " is acceptable to it, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray said on Saturday, addressing his party's annual Dussehra rally at Shivaji Park here.

Targeting his former ally ahead of the assembly elections in Maharashtra , Thackeray said the BJP should be ashamed of calling itself "Bharatiya." He also compared it to the Kauravas, accusing it of showing arrogance.

He also promised to build temples of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in every district of the state after coming to power.

He parted ways with the BJP in 2019 as he did not believe in its version of Hindutva, but he never abandoned his father Balasaheb Thackeray's ideology, the former chief minister said.