News Analysis India

Tag: Eknath Shinde

  • EC allots ‘two swords and a shield’ as poll symbol to Shinde faction of Shiv Sena

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Election Commission on Tuesday allotted ‘two swords and a shield’ as the poll symbol to the Eknath Shinde-led faction of the Shiv Sena.

    The Shinde faction, which is now named as ‘Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena’, will be able to use the symbol for the Andheri East assembly bypoll, should it decide to contest the election scheduled for November 3.

    In a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, the Commission said it has decided to declare ‘Do Talwarein aur Ek Dhal (Two Swords & Shield)’ to be a free symbol and allot it to the candidate set up, if any, by the Shinde-led group in the current bye-election.

    The Shinde faction had suggested ‘peepal tree’, ‘sword and shield’, and ‘sun’ as its choice of poll symbols.

    NEW DELHI: The Election Commission on Tuesday allotted ‘two swords and a shield’ as the poll symbol to the Eknath Shinde-led faction of the Shiv Sena.

    The Shinde faction, which is now named as ‘Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena’, will be able to use the symbol for the Andheri East assembly bypoll, should it decide to contest the election scheduled for November 3.

    In a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, the Commission said it has decided to declare ‘Do Talwarein aur Ek Dhal (Two Swords & Shield)’ to be a free symbol and allot it to the candidate set up, if any, by the Shinde-led group in the current bye-election.

    The Shinde faction had suggested ‘peepal tree’, ‘sword and shield’, and ‘sun’ as its choice of poll symbols.

  • Uddhav-led Shiv Sena gives 3 choices for poll symbol – trident, rising sun or burning torch

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction has submitted to the Election Commission its three options of a trident, rising sun or Mashaal (burning torch) for its poll symbol, sources said on Sunday.

    The Election Commission had on Saturday barred the Shiv Sena factions led by former chief minister Thackeray and present Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde from using the party name and its election symbol ‘bow & arrow’ in the Andheri East Assembly by-poll scheduled on November 3.

    In an interim order over claims by the rival factions for control of the organisation, the commission asked them to suggest by Monday three different name choices and also as many free symbols for allocation to their respective groups.

    A source from the Thackeray faction said, “The Sena has submitted three options as an alternative before the Election Commission – a trident, rising sun or a burning torch, also known as Mashaal in Marathi and Hindi languages.”

    The Thackeray camp has also given some options for its official name in polls, the source said without elaborating.

    The EC’s interim order on Saturday came on the Shinde faction’s request seeking it be allocated the symbol as the Andheri East assembly bypoll is approaching.

    The rival factions had approached the Election Commission after the split in the Shiv Sena ranks in June this year, with both sides claiming to be the ‘real Shiv Sena’.

    The bypoll to Andheri East Assembly seat in suburban Mumbai has been necessitated due to the death of incumbent Sena MLA Ramesh Latke.

    The Congress and the NCP have decided to support Ramesh Latke’s wife Rujuta Latke, the candidate of the Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena, their coalition partner in the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA).

    The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), an ally of the Shinde faction, has decided to field Murji Patel, a corporator in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.

    MUMBAI: The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction has submitted to the Election Commission its three options of a trident, rising sun or Mashaal (burning torch) for its poll symbol, sources said on Sunday.

    The Election Commission had on Saturday barred the Shiv Sena factions led by former chief minister Thackeray and present Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde from using the party name and its election symbol ‘bow & arrow’ in the Andheri East Assembly by-poll scheduled on November 3.

    In an interim order over claims by the rival factions for control of the organisation, the commission asked them to suggest by Monday three different name choices and also as many free symbols for allocation to their respective groups.

    A source from the Thackeray faction said, “The Sena has submitted three options as an alternative before the Election Commission – a trident, rising sun or a burning torch, also known as Mashaal in Marathi and Hindi languages.”

    The Thackeray camp has also given some options for its official name in polls, the source said without elaborating.

    The EC’s interim order on Saturday came on the Shinde faction’s request seeking it be allocated the symbol as the Andheri East assembly bypoll is approaching.

    The rival factions had approached the Election Commission after the split in the Shiv Sena ranks in June this year, with both sides claiming to be the ‘real Shiv Sena’.

    The bypoll to Andheri East Assembly seat in suburban Mumbai has been necessitated due to the death of incumbent Sena MLA Ramesh Latke.

    The Congress and the NCP have decided to support Ramesh Latke’s wife Rujuta Latke, the candidate of the Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena, their coalition partner in the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA).

    The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), an ally of the Shinde faction, has decided to field Murji Patel, a corporator in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.

  • Uddhav, Shinde in war of words in Dussehra rallies

    Express News Service

    MUMBAI: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday told his supporters at the traditional Dussehra rally at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park that the party has not left its Hindutva plank and that he would continue to treat the rebels led by CM Eknath Shinde as traitors.

    “They (the rebels) are parasites who have crept up the Shiv Sena tree. They should understand that without a tree, they have no worth. We are happy that these traitors have left us. Now, new leadership will emerge,” said Uddhav.

    “We gave everything to him (Shinde)… his son was made Lok Sabha MP. People who come here love Sena and the Thackeray family,” Uddhav said. The Sena chief said Shinde’s faction is not the Sena at all. “They are parasites who have grown on the Shiv Sena tree. They should understand that without a tree, the parasite has no value. We are happy that these traitors have left us. Now, new leadership will emerge,” Thackeray said.

    The Sena chief sought to keep the party’s Hindutva line. “We left the BJP, not Hindutva. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat recently visited a mosque. Does that mean that RSS left Hindutva? The BJP has no authority to speak on Hindutva,” said Uddhav. He also recalled LK Advani’s visit to the Jinnah memorial in Pakistan, saying the BJP was not the sole spokesperson for Hindutva.  “The BJP also allied with Mehbooba Mufti for power in Jammu and Kashmir,” Thackeray said.

    Thackeray said many development projects were “snatched” from Maharashtra and shifted to Gujarat. “We have no ill-will against Gujarat. However, our chief minister (Shinde) keeps visiting Delhi. In the last 100 days of this new government, Shinde might have gone to Delhi for 99 days. He has no authority…even hike mike was snatched by his deputy,” Thackeray said.

    He said when he was the CM, deputy CM Ajit Pawar remained respectful. “The Congress and NCP respected me and the chief minister’s chair.” Meanwhile, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in his parallel Dussehra rally at BKC said that far from being a traitor; his party was the “real follower” of Balasaheb Thackeray.

    “We never betrayed the legacy of Balasaheb. In fact, Uddhav Thackeray cheated the party and is a traitor. They forgot the Balasaheb legacy. By joining hands with Congress and NCP, Uddhav forgot his father. We are the protectors of Sena legacy,” Shinde said.

    Shinde demanded Uddhav’s apology for “cheating” the party. “The people assembled here represent the real Shiv Sena. We have the support of all party MLAs and MPs,” he said.“We took this step (rebellion) to save the Shiv Sena, preserve the principles of Balasaheb, Hindutva and for the betterment of Maharashtra,” he said, adding he has been getting an overwhelming response for the decision.

    The CM asked Uddhav to apologize at Bal Thackeray’s memorial for going against his ideals and aligning with one-time political rivals, the Congress and NCP.“Do you even have the right to occupy the post (of Shiv Sena chief) after compromising on the principles of Bal Thackeray?’ Shinde said in a scathing attack.He said the massive crowd at his Dussehra rally was proof enough to show who the true inheritors of Bal Thackeray’s legacy were.

    MUMBAI: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday told his supporters at the traditional Dussehra rally at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park that the party has not left its Hindutva plank and that he would continue to treat the rebels led by CM Eknath Shinde as traitors.

    “They (the rebels) are parasites who have crept up the Shiv Sena tree. They should understand that without a tree, they have no worth. We are happy that these traitors have left us. Now, new leadership will emerge,” said Uddhav.

    “We gave everything to him (Shinde)… his son was made Lok Sabha MP. People who come here love Sena and the Thackeray family,” Uddhav said. The Sena chief said Shinde’s faction is not the Sena at all. “They are parasites who have grown on the Shiv Sena tree. They should understand that without a tree, the parasite has no value. We are happy that these traitors have left us. Now, new leadership will emerge,” Thackeray said.

    The Sena chief sought to keep the party’s Hindutva line. “We left the BJP, not Hindutva. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat recently visited a mosque. Does that mean that RSS left Hindutva? The BJP has no authority to speak on Hindutva,” said Uddhav. He also recalled LK Advani’s visit to the Jinnah memorial in Pakistan, saying the BJP was not the sole spokesperson for Hindutva.  “The BJP also allied with Mehbooba Mufti for power in Jammu and Kashmir,” Thackeray said.

    Thackeray said many development projects were “snatched” from Maharashtra and shifted to Gujarat. “We have no ill-will against Gujarat. However, our chief minister (Shinde) keeps visiting Delhi. In the last 100 days of this new government, Shinde might have gone to Delhi for 99 days. He has no authority…even hike mike was snatched by his deputy,” Thackeray said.

    He said when he was the CM, deputy CM Ajit Pawar remained respectful. “The Congress and NCP 
    respected me and the chief minister’s chair.” Meanwhile, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in his parallel Dussehra rally at BKC said that far from being a traitor; his party was the “real follower” of Balasaheb Thackeray.

    “We never betrayed the legacy of Balasaheb. In fact, Uddhav Thackeray cheated the party and is a traitor. They forgot the Balasaheb legacy. By joining hands with Congress and NCP, Uddhav forgot his father. We are the protectors of Sena legacy,” Shinde said.

    Shinde demanded Uddhav’s apology for “cheating” the party. “The people assembled here represent the real Shiv Sena. We have the support of all party MLAs and MPs,” he said.“We took this step (rebellion) to save the Shiv Sena, preserve the principles of Balasaheb, Hindutva and for the betterment of Maharashtra,” he said, adding he has been getting an overwhelming response for the decision.

    The CM asked Uddhav to apologize at Bal Thackeray’s memorial for going against his ideals and aligning with one-time political rivals, the Congress and NCP.“Do you even have the right to occupy the post (of Shiv Sena chief) after compromising on the principles of Bal Thackeray?’ Shinde said in a scathing attack.He said the massive crowd at his Dussehra rally was proof enough to show who the true inheritors of Bal Thackeray’s legacy were.

  • Stamp of ‘traitor’ will always remain, Uddhav Thackeray tells Shinde faction at Dussehra rally; slams BJP 

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: In a scathing attack on Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and other rebel party leaders, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday said their reputation as “traitors” will never go away.

    Thackeray, who stepped down as chief minister in June following Shinde’s rebellion, addressed the party’s annual Dussehra rally at the iconic Shivaji Park even as the Shinde faction organized its own rally elsewhere in the city.

    “The stamp of traitor (on the Shinde faction) will never go away. As time changes, the face of Ravan also changes. Today, it is the traitors (who are Ravan),” he said at the well-attended gathering.

    When he was unwell and underwent a surgery while being the chief minister, he had delegated responsibility to Shinde, then a senior minister, Thackeray said.

    “But he conspired against me thinking I will never stand up on my feet again,” Thackeray alleged.

    Today’s Ravan was not known for multiple heads but for the number of ”khoke” (boxes), he said, alluding to the alleged use of monetary inducement or boxes of cash to bring down the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government led by him.

    “If you feel I should not remain the Sena president, I will quit. There is a limit to the lust for power. After the act of treachery, he (Shinde) now wants the party, its  symbol and also wants to be called party president,” Thackeray said.

    Shinde was now trying to appropriate Sena founder Bal Thackeray’s legacy because he could not get votes in his “own father’s name,” he said.

    He formed a post-poll alliance with Congress and Nationalist Congress Party in 2019 to teach the BJP a lesson for going back on its past assurance, Thackeray said.

    “I swear on my parents that it had been decided that BJP and Shiv Sena will share the chief minister’s post for two and a half years each,” he said.

    Shinde was among the first to be sworn in as a minister along with Congress and NCP leaders, and “he had no problem then,” Thackeray said, referring to Shinde’s claim that he rebelled because he and his supporters did not approve of the new alliance.

    He did not want lessons from BJP on Hindutva, Thackeray said.

    “BJP leaders visited (then Pakistan prime minister) Nawaz Sharif on his birthday without invitation and bowed before (Mohammad Ali) Jinnah’s grave,” he said.

    Thackeray also accused the BJP, his former ally, of raising the Hindutva issue to divert attention from poverty, unemployment and inflation.

    “RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale has shown BJP the mirror,” he said, referring to Hosabale’s recent remark about the challenges of unemployment and rising income inequality.

    With the rupee plummeting against dollar, he invoked late BJP leader Sushma Swaraj’s statement that when the value of the rupee decreases, the country’s standing also goes down.

    Fighting to retain control of the party founded by his late father, Uddhav sought support and strength from the Sena cadres in front of him.

    “Today I have nothing. But with your support Shiv Sena will rise again. I will make a Shiv Sena worker chief minister again. We have to defeat the traitors in every election,” he said, ahead of the byelection to Andheri East Assembly constituency and Mumbai civic polls.

    ALSO READ: Uddhav Thackeray’s brother Jaidev shares stage with Maha CM Shinde at Dussehra rally

    He also targeted BJP leader Amit Shah, asking if Shah was the country’s home minister or the BJP’s “internal minister” who only topples state governments.

    Referring to Shah’s exhortation to BJP workers to show the Sena `zameen’ (to rout it), Thackeray said, “Even we want to see the zameen (land) of Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir becoming part of our country.”

    The Shinde government was about to complete 100 days in office but most of this time was spent in Delhi, he said, in a dig at Shinde’s visits to the national capital. For the Shiv Sena, Hindutva meant nationalism, said Thackeray.

    All nationalist Indians should be wary of the BJP’s aim to finish off all other political parties, he added.

    “RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat recently visited a mosque. Has he (then) given up Hindutva?” the Sena chief said, in response to the BJP’s barbs that he discarded Hindutva by joining hands with the NCP and Congress.

    Thackeray referred to Bhagwat’s speech on gender equality and highlighted the Ankita Bhandari murder case in Uttarakhand and the release and alleged felicitation of convicts in the Bilkis Bano case in Gujarat. Was this women empowerment, Thackeray asked.

    “When we were with the BJP, the government never fulfilled Balasaheb Thackeray’s vision of naming Aurangabad and Osmanabad as Sambhaji Nagar and Dharashiv. As chief minister I took the decision to rename them with full support of MVA allies,” he said.

    Earlier, when Thackeray arrived on stage with the word `Eknishth” (loyal) in the background, he knelt down before the gathering.

    The 61-year-old leader needed the help of his aides to kneel.

    “I don’t have the doctors’ permission to bow yet. But I can’t proceed before bowing to you,” he said at the start of his 30-minute speech.

    MUMBAI: In a scathing attack on Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and other rebel party leaders, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday said their reputation as “traitors” will never go away.

    Thackeray, who stepped down as chief minister in June following Shinde’s rebellion, addressed the party’s annual Dussehra rally at the iconic Shivaji Park even as the Shinde faction organized its own rally elsewhere in the city.

    “The stamp of traitor (on the Shinde faction) will never go away. As time changes, the face of Ravan also changes. Today, it is the traitors (who are Ravan),” he said at the well-attended gathering.

    When he was unwell and underwent a surgery while being the chief minister, he had delegated responsibility to Shinde, then a senior minister, Thackeray said.

    “But he conspired against me thinking I will never stand up on my feet again,” Thackeray alleged.

    Today’s Ravan was not known for multiple heads but for the number of ”khoke” (boxes), he said, alluding to the alleged use of monetary inducement or boxes of cash to bring down the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government led by him.

    “If you feel I should not remain the Sena president, I will quit. There is a limit to the lust for power. After the act of treachery, he (Shinde) now wants the party, its  symbol and also wants to be called party president,” Thackeray said.

    Shinde was now trying to appropriate Sena founder Bal Thackeray’s legacy because he could not get votes in his “own father’s name,” he said.

    He formed a post-poll alliance with Congress and Nationalist Congress Party in 2019 to teach the BJP a lesson for going back on its past assurance, Thackeray said.

    “I swear on my parents that it had been decided that BJP and Shiv Sena will share the chief minister’s post for two and a half years each,” he said.

    Shinde was among the first to be sworn in as a minister along with Congress and NCP leaders, and “he had no problem then,” Thackeray said, referring to Shinde’s claim that he rebelled because he and his supporters did not approve of the new alliance.

    He did not want lessons from BJP on Hindutva, Thackeray said.

    “BJP leaders visited (then Pakistan prime minister) Nawaz Sharif on his birthday without invitation and bowed before (Mohammad Ali) Jinnah’s grave,” he said.

    Thackeray also accused the BJP, his former ally, of raising the Hindutva issue to divert attention from poverty, unemployment and inflation.

    “RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale has shown BJP the mirror,” he said, referring to Hosabale’s recent remark about the challenges of unemployment and rising income inequality.

    With the rupee plummeting against dollar, he invoked late BJP leader Sushma Swaraj’s statement that when the value of the rupee decreases, the country’s standing also goes down.

    Fighting to retain control of the party founded by his late father, Uddhav sought support and strength from the Sena cadres in front of him.

    “Today I have nothing. But with your support Shiv Sena will rise again. I will make a Shiv Sena worker chief minister again. We have to defeat the traitors in every election,” he said, ahead of the byelection to Andheri East Assembly constituency and Mumbai civic polls.

    ALSO READ: Uddhav Thackeray’s brother Jaidev shares stage with Maha CM Shinde at Dussehra rally

    He also targeted BJP leader Amit Shah, asking if Shah was the country’s home minister or the BJP’s “internal minister” who only topples state governments.

    Referring to Shah’s exhortation to BJP workers to show the Sena `zameen’ (to rout it), Thackeray said, “Even we want to see the zameen (land) of Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir becoming part of our country.”

    The Shinde government was about to complete 100 days in office but most of this time was spent in Delhi, he said, in a dig at Shinde’s visits to the national capital. For the Shiv Sena, Hindutva meant nationalism, said Thackeray.

    All nationalist Indians should be wary of the BJP’s aim to finish off all other political parties, he added.

    “RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat recently visited a mosque. Has he (then) given up Hindutva?” the Sena chief said, in response to the BJP’s barbs that he discarded Hindutva by joining hands with the NCP and Congress.

    Thackeray referred to Bhagwat’s speech on gender equality and highlighted the Ankita Bhandari murder case in Uttarakhand and the release and alleged felicitation of convicts in the Bilkis Bano case in Gujarat. Was this women empowerment, Thackeray asked.

    “When we were with the BJP, the government never fulfilled Balasaheb Thackeray’s vision of naming Aurangabad and Osmanabad as Sambhaji Nagar and Dharashiv. As chief minister I took the decision to rename them with full support of MVA allies,” he said.

    Earlier, when Thackeray arrived on stage with the word `Eknishth” (loyal) in the background, he knelt down before the gathering.

    The 61-year-old leader needed the help of his aides to kneel.

    “I don’t have the doctors’ permission to bow yet. But I can’t proceed before bowing to you,” he said at the start of his 30-minute speech.

  • Our rebellion was not ‘betrayal’, we are true inheritors of Bal Thackeray legacy: Maharashtra CM

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday asserted his rebellion was not an act of “betrayal”, but a “revolt” and asked Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray to kneel down at party founder Bal Thackeray’s memorial here and apologise for going against his ideals and aligning with the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

    Addressing a mega rally at the Bandra Kurla Complex’s MMRDA ground on the occasion of Dussehra, Shinde said voters in the state elected the Shiv Sena and the BJP in the 2019 Assembly elections, but Thackeray “betrayed” people by joining hands with the Congress and the NCP to form the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.

    He said massive crowds at his Dussehra rally was proof enough to show who are true inheritors of Bal Thackeray’s legacy.

    Slamming Thackeray, Shinde, who heads the rebel faction of the party, said the Shiv Sena was not a “private limited company” and maintained the 56-year-old outfit was built through hard work of common Sena workers.

    The chief minister stoutly defended his rebellion against Thackeray’s leadership in June that brought down the MVA government. Shinde asserted his rebellion was not an act of “betrayal” (gaddari), but a revolt (gadar).

    The Thackeray-led faction of the Shiv Sena has often targeted rebels as “traitors”.

    The rally was attended by Jaidev Thackeray, brother of Uddhav Thackeray, and his estranged wife Smita Thackeray.

    Nihar Thackeray, grandson of late Bal Thackeray, also attended the rally besides Champa Singh Thapa, a long-time personal aide of the Sena founder.

    MUMBAI: Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday asserted his rebellion was not an act of “betrayal”, but a “revolt” and asked Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray to kneel down at party founder Bal Thackeray’s memorial here and apologise for going against his ideals and aligning with the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

    Addressing a mega rally at the Bandra Kurla Complex’s MMRDA ground on the occasion of Dussehra, Shinde said voters in the state elected the Shiv Sena and the BJP in the 2019 Assembly elections, but Thackeray “betrayed” people by joining hands with the Congress and the NCP to form the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.

    He said massive crowds at his Dussehra rally was proof enough to show who are true inheritors of Bal Thackeray’s legacy.

    Slamming Thackeray, Shinde, who heads the rebel faction of the party, said the Shiv Sena was not a “private limited company” and maintained the 56-year-old outfit was built through hard work of common Sena workers.

    The chief minister stoutly defended his rebellion against Thackeray’s leadership in June that brought down the MVA government. Shinde asserted his rebellion was not an act of “betrayal” (gaddari), but a revolt (gadar).

    The Thackeray-led faction of the Shiv Sena has often targeted rebels as “traitors”.

    The rally was attended by Jaidev Thackeray, brother of Uddhav Thackeray, and his estranged wife Smita Thackeray.

    Nihar Thackeray, grandson of late Bal Thackeray, also attended the rally besides Champa Singh Thapa, a long-time personal aide of the Sena founder.

  • Uddhav Thackeray’s brother Jaidev shares stage with Maha CM Shinde at Dussehra rally

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Jaidev Thackeray, the elder brother of Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, on Wednesday evening shared the stage with Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde at the rebel faction’s Dussehra rally at the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) in Mumbai.

    Jaidev Thackeray’s estranged wife Smita was also present at the MMRDA ground in BKC, the rally site in suburban Mumbai, along with Nihar, the son of late Bindumadhav Thackeray, Uddhav Thackeray’s eldest brother.

    Champa Singh Thapa, a trusted aide of the late Bal Thackeray who served the Shiv Sena founder for 27 years, was also present at the event.

    Talking to reporters, Smita Thackeray said she was invited to the rally by Shinde, who heads the rebel faction of the Shiv Sena.

    Jaidev Thackeray, son of Bal Thackeray, said to share an uneasy relationship with his younger brother Uddhav Thackeray.

    The Uddhav Thackeray-led faction has organised its own Dussehra rally at Shivaji Park in central Mumbai.

    Both Shinde and Uddhav Thackeray claim their faction is the “real” Shiv Sena.

    Shinde’s rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray’s leadership had led to the collapse to the Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in June.

    MUMBAI: Jaidev Thackeray, the elder brother of Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, on Wednesday evening shared the stage with Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde at the rebel faction’s Dussehra rally at the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) in Mumbai.

    Jaidev Thackeray’s estranged wife Smita was also present at the MMRDA ground in BKC, the rally site in suburban Mumbai, along with Nihar, the son of late Bindumadhav Thackeray, Uddhav Thackeray’s eldest brother.

    Champa Singh Thapa, a trusted aide of the late Bal Thackeray who served the Shiv Sena founder for 27 years, was also present at the event.

    Talking to reporters, Smita Thackeray said she was invited to the rally by Shinde, who heads the rebel faction of the Shiv Sena.

    Jaidev Thackeray, son of Bal Thackeray, said to share an uneasy relationship with his younger brother Uddhav Thackeray.

    The Uddhav Thackeray-led faction has organised its own Dussehra rally at Shivaji Park in central Mumbai.

    Both Shinde and Uddhav Thackeray claim their faction is the “real” Shiv Sena.

    Shinde’s rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray’s leadership had led to the collapse to the Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in June.

  • Five MLAs, two MPs from Uddhav group to join Shinde-led faction: Shiv Sena leader

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Shiv Sena Lok Sabha member Krupal Tumane on Wednesday claimed two MPs and five MLAs from the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena faction will join the group headed by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde at the latter’s Dussehra rally in the evening.

    The two MPs could be from Mumbai and Marathwada region, Tumane, who is part of the Shinde group, told a news channel. “You will see in the evening,” he added.

    Those who believe in the Shinde faction’s ideology are themselves calling up and joining it, said Tumane, the MP from Ramtek in Maharashtra. At present, the Shinde faction comprises 40 MLAs, including the CM, and 12 Lok Sabha members.

    The Thackeray faction is left with 15 MLAs and six Lok Sabha members. Before the split in June this year, the Shiv Sena had 18 Lok Sabha members from Maharashtra and one from Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

    The rebel group led by Shinde will hold its Dussehra rally on Wednesday evening at the MMRDA ground at Bandra Kurla Complex in Mumbai.

    The Thackeray faction will hold its rally at the historic Shivaji Park in Dadar in central Mumbai, a venue associated with the Shiv Sena since its inception in 1966. Shinde and 39 other Sena legislators had rebelled against the party leadership in June, following which the Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government collapsed.

    On June 30, Shinde was sworn in as the CM along with BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis as his deputy.

    MUMBAI: Shiv Sena Lok Sabha member Krupal Tumane on Wednesday claimed two MPs and five MLAs from the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena faction will join the group headed by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde at the latter’s Dussehra rally in the evening.

    The two MPs could be from Mumbai and Marathwada region, Tumane, who is part of the Shinde group, told a news channel. “You will see in the evening,” he added.

    Those who believe in the Shinde faction’s ideology are themselves calling up and joining it, said Tumane, the MP from Ramtek in Maharashtra. At present, the Shinde faction comprises 40 MLAs, including the CM, and 12 Lok Sabha members.

    The Thackeray faction is left with 15 MLAs and six Lok Sabha members. Before the split in June this year, the Shiv Sena had 18 Lok Sabha members from Maharashtra and one from Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

    The rebel group led by Shinde will hold its Dussehra rally on Wednesday evening at the MMRDA ground at Bandra Kurla Complex in Mumbai.

    The Thackeray faction will hold its rally at the historic Shivaji Park in Dadar in central Mumbai, a venue associated with the Shiv Sena since its inception in 1966. Shinde and 39 other Sena legislators had rebelled against the party leadership in June, following which the Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government collapsed.

    On June 30, Shinde was sworn in as the CM along with BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis as his deputy.

  • Shinde’s fiat to ministers: ‘No one should speak to media unless told’

    Express News Service

    MUMBAI: In view of negative publicity, Maharashtra Chief  Minister Eknath Shinde reprimanded his minister and asked them not to make any controversial statements. Maharashtra CM had a meeting with his faction’s ministers and MLAs where he told them to not skirt any controversy.

    “I am chief minister of Maharashtra still I am not making any statements on sensitive issues. But you people are making all sorts of statements that are creating negative perceptions about our factions among people. Unless I say, no one should speak with the media. You should avoid speaking with the media about every issue,” Shinde told his ministers.

    Shinde further told his ministers that they are fighting the long legal battle against Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena and their one statement can change the scenario. “Shinde wants to win the perception battle against Uddhav Thackeray. At present, there is a lot of public sympathy towards Uddhav Thackeray, and Shinde has been perceived as the villain who snatched the chair of Thackeray. Shinde wants to change this perception by winning many hearts and close associates of Uddhav Thackeray, but his ministers are continuously stoking the controversy and diverting the agenda,” said a senior leader close to Shinde. 

    Tanaji Sawant, the health minister who belongs to Shinde camp apologized for his objectionable comment against the Maratha community. Sawant during his speech said that the Maratha community had developed an “itch” for reservations. Earlier also, he made several controversies. The Opposition demanded sacking of Sawant for his controversial remarks against the Maratha community.

    Earlier, a photo of CM Shinde’s son Shreekant Shinde sitting in the chief minister’s chair had gone viral. Later, Shreekant Shinde clarified that it was not the CM chair, but their office chair where the chief minister board was by mistakenly kept in the background.  

    Tanaji trolledMeanwhile, Tanaji Sawant was trolled on social media for his alleged goof-ups in his meeting schedule. Sawant became the subject of various memes as the schedule only mentioned his travel from his private office to his home and back. 

    The document went viral and became the topic of jokes, after which Sawant’s office revised the schedule. 

    Rashmi Thackeray visits Shinde’s stronghold in ThaneThe wife of Uddhav Thackeray, Rashmi Thackeray, visited Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde’s stronghold Thane on Thursday. Rashmi visited the Tembhi Naka Navratri Mandal in Thane. Rashmi was accompanied by Shiv Sena Lok Sabha MP Rajan Vichare and former Mumbai mayor Kishori Pednekar among others. Earlier, Shiv Sena shared an image of Rashmi  congratulating the party workers after Bombay High court granted permission to Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena to hold its annual Dusshera rally at Shivaji Park. Sources in Shiv Sena said that Rashmi has always been the tacit support to Uddhav, but of late she has been more vocal and visible within the Sena circle and telling her party workers that she is very much there even though it is a long political battle against Maharashtra CM and the BJP in Maharashtra. ENS

    MUMBAI: In view of negative publicity, Maharashtra Chief  Minister Eknath Shinde reprimanded his minister and asked them not to make any controversial statements. Maharashtra CM had a meeting with his faction’s ministers and MLAs where he told them to not skirt any controversy.

    “I am chief minister of Maharashtra still I am not making any statements on sensitive issues. But you people are making all sorts of statements that are creating negative perceptions about our factions among people. Unless I say, no one should speak with the media. You should avoid speaking with the media about every issue,” Shinde told his ministers.

    Shinde further told his ministers that they are fighting the long legal battle against Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena and their one statement can change the scenario. “Shinde wants to win the perception battle against Uddhav Thackeray. At present, there is a lot of public sympathy towards Uddhav Thackeray, and Shinde has been perceived as the villain who snatched the chair of Thackeray. Shinde wants to change this perception by winning many hearts and close associates of Uddhav Thackeray, but his ministers are continuously stoking the controversy and diverting the agenda,” said a senior leader close to Shinde. 

    Tanaji Sawant, the health minister who belongs to Shinde camp apologized for his objectionable comment against the Maratha community. Sawant during his speech said that the Maratha community had developed an “itch” for reservations. Earlier also, he made several controversies. The Opposition demanded sacking of Sawant for his controversial remarks against the Maratha community.

    Earlier, a photo of CM Shinde’s son Shreekant Shinde sitting in the chief minister’s chair had gone viral. Later, Shreekant Shinde clarified that it was not the CM chair, but their office chair where the chief minister board was by mistakenly kept in the background.  

    Tanaji trolled
    Meanwhile, Tanaji Sawant was trolled on social media for his alleged goof-ups in his meeting schedule. Sawant became the subject of various memes as the schedule only mentioned his travel from his private 
    office to his home and back. 

    The document went viral and became the topic of jokes, after which Sawant’s office revised the schedule. 

    Rashmi Thackeray visits Shinde’s stronghold in Thane
    The wife of Uddhav Thackeray, Rashmi Thackeray, visited Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde’s stronghold Thane on Thursday. Rashmi visited the Tembhi Naka Navratri Mandal in Thane. Rashmi was accompanied by Shiv Sena Lok Sabha MP Rajan Vichare and former Mumbai mayor Kishori Pednekar among others. Earlier, Shiv Sena shared an image of Rashmi  congratulating the party workers after Bombay High court granted permission to Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena to hold its annual Dusshera rally at Shivaji Park. Sources in Shiv Sena said that Rashmi has always been the tacit support to Uddhav, but of late she has been more vocal and visible within the Sena circle and telling her party workers that she is very much there even though it is a long political battle against Maharashtra CM and the BJP in Maharashtra. ENS

  • Setback to Uddhav faction: ECI can decide plea on ‘real Shiv Sena’, says Supreme Court

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: In a setback to the Uddhav Thackeray faction, the Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed the Thackeray camp’s application seeking a stay on proceedings pending before the Election Commission of India (ECI) over Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde faction’s request to be recognised as the real Shiv Sena, and to use the party symbol “bow and arrow”. 

    After a marathon hearing of almost five hours, a five-judge bench of the SC headed by Justice DY Chandrachud in their order said, “Having heard the counsel, we direct that there shall be no stay of the proceedings before the ECI.”, and allowed the Election Commission to go ahead with the hearing of the Shinde group’s plea.

    During the hearing, the bench opined that the mere fact of the reference to several constitutional questions pertaining to defection, merger and disqualification would not stall the ECI from taking recourse to its powers under the law. 

    “Mere fact that the reference has been made does not stall the constitutional authority from taking recourse to its powers under the power of law. One of the issues which have been made is the power of the ECI to decide upon a split in the party but that by itself does not restrain the authority from proceeding ahead if they have the authority under the law,” Justice Chandrachud said. 

    For the Uddhav faction, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal contended that ECI can’t determine which is the real Shiv Sena till a decision on disqualification of the rebel MLAs and other linked issues that are pending before the constitution bench of the SC is decided. It was also his contention that legislative members of the political party function within the overall control of the party and represent the party. 

    “Legislative members of the political party function within the overall control of the party. They represent the party. There is an umbilical cord which is linked between the members of the legislature & political party,” Sibal said. 

    He further added, “I’m a member of the original political party and I’ve been elected on that symbol. I continue to be under the discipline of that party. It has huge consequences. Any government can be thrown out in this fashion. What is the constitution meant for? People go to the governor and throw out the government that is elected by the people. I’ve never heard in the democratic world that an elected government for a period of five years through these fascinations is toppled because we’re discussing some academic issues. See the heart of the matter. Where is democracy going?” 

    Claiming that the Shinde faction still represented an overwhelming majority within the Shiv Sena, Senior Advocate Neeraj Kishan Kaul for the Shinde faction argued that he was still entitled to approach the ECI. He also added that the election symbol was not the property of the MLA but a decision of the ECI and he had a legal right to use it. 

    “If at all finding an ECI may help the speaker but nothing that the speaker decides will never impact a member approaching the ECI. So to say that 2 petitions are intertwined and thus await the decisions in the main matter is completely wrong. None has ever questioned the vires of the symbol order, none has ever questioned the power of the ECI. All that has been said here is the scope of the powers of ECI. Till the constitution bench decides the scope of the ECI, this may be Shinde v. Thackeray matter but there would be another matter where there are disqualification of MLAs and other set of people go to the ECI, ECI is denuded of its powers as coordinate constitutional authority to continue and do what it is mandated under the constitution to do because your lordships are seized of the scope of the EC,” Kaul said. 

    “The moment the question comes “who is the Shiv Sena” the jurisdiction is exclusively with ECI,” Senior Advocate Maninder Singh said. 

    “Any possible link between disqualification and power of ECI to deal with intra-party dispute has been snapped with the resignation of the then CM,” Senior Advocate Mahesh Jethmalani told the bench. 

    Contending that the functioning of ECI was completely different from that of the role of the Speaker under the Xth schedule, Senior Advocate Arvind Datar for the poll body contended that ECI was free to decide as to how it tested the majority. 

    “Whatever happens on the floor of the house is completely independent and does not interdict as to what happens in the house. Disqualification of a legislator from the membership of the Legislature by the Speaker is different from removal of a person from membership of a party,” he further added. 

    On 23rd August, a 3 judge bench led by the then CJI NV Ramana had referred to 5 judge bench petitions related to the Maharashtra political crisis preferred by rival groups of Shiv Sena that had raised several constitutional questions pertaining to defection, merger and disqualification. The bench had also asked the ECI to not take any action on Shinde’s application for recognition as the real one and allotment of the party’s bow and arrow symbol till August 25, 2022. 

    NEW DELHI: In a setback to the Uddhav Thackeray faction, the Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed the Thackeray camp’s application seeking a stay on proceedings pending before the Election Commission of India (ECI) over Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde faction’s request to be recognised as the real Shiv Sena, and to use the party symbol “bow and arrow”. 

    After a marathon hearing of almost five hours, a five-judge bench of the SC headed by Justice DY Chandrachud in their order said, “Having heard the counsel, we direct that there shall be no stay of the proceedings before the ECI.”, and allowed the Election Commission to go ahead with the hearing of the Shinde group’s plea.

    During the hearing, the bench opined that the mere fact of the reference to several constitutional questions pertaining to defection, merger and disqualification would not stall the ECI from taking recourse to its powers under the law. 

    “Mere fact that the reference has been made does not stall the constitutional authority from taking recourse to its powers under the power of law. One of the issues which have been made is the power of the ECI to decide upon a split in the party but that by itself does not restrain the authority from proceeding ahead if they have the authority under the law,” Justice Chandrachud said. 

    For the Uddhav faction, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal contended that ECI can’t determine which is the real Shiv Sena till a decision on disqualification of the rebel MLAs and other linked issues that are pending before the constitution bench of the SC is decided. It was also his contention that legislative members of the political party function within the overall control of the party and represent the party. 

    “Legislative members of the political party function within the overall control of the party. They represent the party. There is an umbilical cord which is linked between the members of the legislature & political party,” Sibal said. 

    He further added, “I’m a member of the original political party and I’ve been elected on that symbol. I continue to be under the discipline of that party. It has huge consequences. Any government can be thrown out in this fashion. What is the constitution meant for? People go to the governor and throw out the government that is elected by the people. I’ve never heard in the democratic world that an elected government for a period of five years through these fascinations is toppled because we’re discussing some academic issues. See the heart of the matter. Where is democracy going?” 

    Claiming that the Shinde faction still represented an overwhelming majority within the Shiv Sena, Senior Advocate Neeraj Kishan Kaul for the Shinde faction argued that he was still entitled to approach the ECI. He also added that the election symbol was not the property of the MLA but a decision of the ECI and he had a legal right to use it. 

    “If at all finding an ECI may help the speaker but nothing that the speaker decides will never impact a member approaching the ECI. So to say that 2 petitions are intertwined and thus await the decisions in the main matter is completely wrong. None has ever questioned the vires of the symbol order, none has ever questioned the power of the ECI. All that has been said here is the scope of the powers of ECI. Till the constitution bench decides the scope of the ECI, this may be Shinde v. Thackeray matter but there would be another matter where there are disqualification of MLAs and other set of people go to the ECI, ECI is denuded of its powers as coordinate constitutional authority to continue and do what it is mandated under the constitution to do because your lordships are seized of the scope of the EC,” Kaul said. 

    “The moment the question comes “who is the Shiv Sena” the jurisdiction is exclusively with ECI,” Senior Advocate Maninder Singh said. 

    “Any possible link between disqualification and power of ECI to deal with intra-party dispute has been snapped with the resignation of the then CM,” Senior Advocate Mahesh Jethmalani told the bench. 

    Contending that the functioning of ECI was completely different from that of the role of the Speaker under the Xth schedule, Senior Advocate Arvind Datar for the poll body contended that ECI was free to decide as to how it tested the majority. 

    “Whatever happens on the floor of the house is completely independent and does not interdict as to what happens in the house. Disqualification of a legislator from the membership of the Legislature by the Speaker is different from removal of a person from membership of a party,” he further added. 

    On 23rd August, a 3 judge bench led by the then CJI NV Ramana had referred to 5 judge bench petitions related to the Maharashtra political crisis preferred by rival groups of Shiv Sena that had raised several constitutional questions pertaining to defection, merger and disqualification. The bench had also asked the ECI to not take any action on Shinde’s application for recognition as the real one and allotment of the party’s bow and arrow symbol till August 25, 2022. 

  • Vedanta-Foxconn row: Aaditya Thackeray blames Shinde govt, Sena rebels for loss of project

    By PTI

    PUNE: Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray on Saturday lashed out at the Eknath Shinde-led state government for Vedanta-Foxconn’s decision to set up its semiconductor plant in Gujarat instead of Maharashtra.

    The project went out of Maharashtra after the Shinde-led rebel Shiv Sena MLAs toppled the Maha Vikas Aghadi government headed by Uddhav Thackeray, he said.

    The Shiv Sena and its youth wing Yuva Sena on Saturday organized a protest over the loss of the semiconductor project at Talegaon in Pune district, the site where it was supposed to come up.

    “Rebel legislators betrayed not just the party but even the state’s youth by enabling the Vedanta-Foxconn project to go out of the state,” Aaditya Thackeray said, addressing the protesters. The Shinde government wasn’t a ‘sarkar’ but a circus, he quipped.

    Even its industry minister didn’t know that the state had lost the Vedanta as well as a bulk drugs park project, he claimed.

    “After the collapse of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, the Vedanta project also went out of the state. Those who betrayed the Shiv Sena first went to Gujarat before going to Guwahati,” Aaditya said.

    Shinde, a senior Sena leader, and the MLAs who supported him had camped in Guwahati for around ten days after he rebelled against Uddhav Thackeray in June.

    “I don’t blame the Gujarat government or the Centre (for the loss of the project). It is this state government which allowed the project to slip out of Maharashtra,” Aaditya Thackeray further said.

    It had been almost finalized during a meeting at Davos in May this year that the project would be set up in Maharashtra, he claimed.

    “During this period, the 40 traitors were planning to rebel,” he said, adding that MVA government had offered subsidy of Rs 10,000 crore to Vedanta-Foxconn and Talegaon was a perfect site with good connectivity.

    PUNE: Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray on Saturday lashed out at the Eknath Shinde-led state government for Vedanta-Foxconn’s decision to set up its semiconductor plant in Gujarat instead of Maharashtra.

    The project went out of Maharashtra after the Shinde-led rebel Shiv Sena MLAs toppled the Maha Vikas Aghadi government headed by Uddhav Thackeray, he said.

    The Shiv Sena and its youth wing Yuva Sena on Saturday organized a protest over the loss of the semiconductor project at Talegaon in Pune district, the site where it was supposed to come up.

    “Rebel legislators betrayed not just the party but even the state’s youth by enabling the Vedanta-Foxconn project to go out of the state,” Aaditya Thackeray said, addressing the protesters. The Shinde government wasn’t a ‘sarkar’ but a circus, he quipped.

    Even its industry minister didn’t know that the state had lost the Vedanta as well as a bulk drugs park project, he claimed.

    “After the collapse of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, the Vedanta project also went out of the state. Those who betrayed the Shiv Sena first went to Gujarat before going to Guwahati,” Aaditya said.

    Shinde, a senior Sena leader, and the MLAs who supported him had camped in Guwahati for around ten days after he rebelled against Uddhav Thackeray in June.

    “I don’t blame the Gujarat government or the Centre (for the loss of the project). It is this state government which allowed the project to slip out of Maharashtra,” Aaditya Thackeray further said.

    It had been almost finalized during a meeting at Davos in May this year that the project would be set up in Maharashtra, he claimed.

    “During this period, the 40 traitors were planning to rebel,” he said, adding that MVA government had offered subsidy of Rs 10,000 crore to Vedanta-Foxconn and Talegaon was a perfect site with good connectivity.