"Moved SC against judgement given by fraud people": Uddhav Thackeray slams Maharashtra Speaker, CM Shinde

Jan 16, 2024

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], January 16 : After Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar ruled that the Eknath Shinde faction was the 'real' Shiv Sena, Uddhav Thackeray said on Tuesday called the Shinde faction leaders 'fraud' and said that Narvekar and the Maharashtra Chief Minister must appear before people and must explain who the real Shiv Sena is.
"We have moved the Supreme Court against the judgement given by those fraud people. I challenge Rahul Narvekar and (Eknath) Shinde to appear before people and explain the question of whom Shiv Sena belongs to," Uddhav Thackeray said.
"I challenge Rahul Narvekar and Shinde to come openly in front of the people and ask whose Shiv Sena is. People will tell you the answer," he added.
Uddhav Thackeray further stated that he has no fear and is ready to contest elections, even if it happen today.
"Let them contest on my stolen bow and arrow symbol and I am ready to contest on the 'Mashal' symbol. Let there be an election before the Supreme Court's verdict on this issue. We are ready now too," he said.
Earlier today, Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar said that he gave his judgment according to the Supreme Court order.
Addressing a press briefing here, the Maharashtra Assembly Speaker said that the top court never said that the appointment of Bharat Gogawale of the Shinde group as whip was wrong.
This came days after Narwekar adjudicated the Shiv Sena MLAs' disqualification petition and approved Bharat Gogawale's appointment as the official chief whip of the party.
"Supreme court never said that the appointment of Bharat Gogawale as a whip (of the Shinde faction) was wrong. SC said that the Speaker must recognise the real Shiv Sena. Because I received claims from both sides, I gave my judgement according to the Supreme Court order," Narwekar said.
Delivering his decision on cross-petitions by Shiv Sena factions seeking disqualification of rival group MLAs after a split in the party in June last year, Maharashtra Speaker Rahul Narwekar on January 10 stated that the "Shinde faction was real Shiv Sena when rival factions emerged".
The Speaker referred to the Shiv Sena constitution while delivering his crucial decision and said, "decision of Paksha Pramukh cannot be taken as a decision of the political party".