Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT) has once again reminded Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde of his 2022 promise to leave politics if any of the 40 rebel MLAs who joined him during the split were defeated in subsequent elections. In light of the recent Maharashtra Assembly results, where five of these rebel MLAs were defeated, including key figures like Sada Sarvankar and Yamini Jadhav, the Shiv Sena (UBT) has demanded that Shinde fulfill his commitment.
Source:- bbc news
This has become a point of contention between the two factions, as Shinde’s leadership of the rebel group, which split from the Shiv Sena led by Thackeray, has been under constant scrutiny. Shinde had led the revolt that ousted Uddhav Thackeray from power in 2022, a move that saw Thackeray losing both the chief minister’s position and his grip on the Shiv Sena. In the aftermath, Shinde promised that he would leave politics if any of the defectors were to lose in elections.
Source:- news 18
The recent results in the Maharashtra Assembly elections (held in November 2024) have given Shiv Sena (UBT) a platform to remind Shinde of this vow. The defeat of several key rebel MLAs has raised questions about the future of Shinde’s political career, and Uddhav Thackeray has been vocal about holding him accountable for his earlier statements. In fact, this reminder was highlighted in Saamana, the Shiv Sena’s mouthpiece, further fueling the political tension between the two factions.
Shinde’s critics argue that his alignment with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and his role in splitting the Shiv Sena goes against the party’s ideological foundations, originally set by his predecessor, Balasaheb Thackeray. On the other hand, Shinde’s faction continues to assert that they are the rightful heirs of the Shiv Sena legacy and are more aligned with the party’s original vision.
This ongoing political drama continues to play out as the state gears up
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