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),” said Thackeray at the well-attended gathering.
"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.
The Shiv Sena does not belong to one person but it belongs to all loyal Sena workers, Thackeray said, adding, “If you feel I should not remain the Sena president, I will quit. Thackeray also said he did not need lessons on Hindutva from the BJP.
“There is a limit to lust for power. After the act of treachery, he now wants the party, its symbol and also wants to be called the party president,” Thackeray said, targeting Shinde. He formed a post-poll alliance with traditional foes Congress and Nationalist Congress Party to teach the BJP a lesson for breaking its promises, Thackeray said.
“Today I have nothing. But with your support the 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, in apparent reference to the November 3 Assembly byelection in Andheri East here.