Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray launched a scathing attack on the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government on Sunday, January 7, stating that he is not alone; the state's people are with him. Thackeray said that despite stealing the party’s name and symbol, his detractors see him in their dreams and are aware that the people of Maharashtra support him. The former chief minister addressed supporters at his Matoshree residence in Bandra, Mumbai.
“Despite stealing my party’s name and symbol, detractors see me in their dreams. They know Uddhav Thackeray is not alone; all of Maharashtra is with him,” stated the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief, as reported by news agency PTI. Thackeray underscored that love and affection cannot be bought, emphasizing that these emotions are genuine and cannot be purchased.
According to the PTI report, referring to some political workers rejoining Shiv Sena (UBT) in Ulhasnagar, part of Thane district, a stronghold of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Thackeray expressed that struggles lie ahead. Still, loyalists can overcome them by sticking together and fighting. Speaking about the inauguration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22, Thackeray announced that on that day, he would offer prayers at Kalaram Temple in Nashik and perform a ‘maha aarti’ on the banks of the Godavari river. He also mentioned plans to tour the Kalyan Lok Sabha seat, represented by Shrikant Shinde, the son of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
The Shiv Sena split in June 2022 after Shinde and several MLAs revolted, leading to the downfall of the MVA government under Thackeray. The Election Commission of India granted Shinde’s faction the ‘Shiv Sena’ name and ‘bow and arrow’ symbol.