Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray today countered the allegation that his party has moved from Balasaheb Thackeray's core Hindutva ideology amid the Eknath Shinde episode . His response came after Sena rebel Eknath Shinde projected his faction as the real Sena. Addressing the state, Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena supremo Uddhav Thackeray said, “I want to talk to you about some issues. Some say why I don’t meet people, some are raising questions about our Hindutva. Shiv Sena and Hindutva are two sides of same coin. Aaditya Thackeray and Eknath Shinde and some of our leaders recently visited Ayodhya.
Some allege that this is no longer Balasaheb Thackeray’s Shiv Sena. We are caring same thoughts of Balasaheb. Shiv Sena did a lot for Hindutva. We are taking the same ideas forward. I myself have been CM for two and half years and even those who were ministers are of Shiv Sena (from our party). Before MLC, I met our MLAs at the hotel. We even had to keep our flock together. I don’t like such democracy.”Uddhav expressed his disappointment that not Congress or NCP but his own people from the Shiv Sena were raising objections about him serving as the CM, Uddhav Thackeray said, "I am ready to step down, to send my resignation...I have COVID, I can't go to the Raj Bhawan."Rebel Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde, who has shaken the foundations of the Maharashtra government, on Wednesday reiterated that he had no plans to cut off ties with the party and would always remain “Balasaheb Thackeray’s Shiv Sainik”.