Mumbai, January 10: In yet another setback for Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena, Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar on Wednesday, January 10, declared that the faction led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde as the "real" Shiv Sena. While the ruling led to celebrations at the office of Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, the Uddhav camp announced to challenge the verdict in the Supreme Court.
Reacting to the Speaker's ruling, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray said his party will challenge it in the Supreme Court. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said she was not surprised at the Speaker's decision and took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
'Wahi Hota Hai Jo Manzoor-e-Narendra Modi Aur Amit Shah Hota Hai'
"I am not surprised at all. We had heard 'Wahi hota hai j manzoor-e-khuda' hota hai'...after 2014 a new tradition has begun, 'Wahi hota hai jo manzoor-e-Narendra Modi aur Amit Shah hota hai'. That is what we see happening in Maharashtra," Priyanka Chaturvedi told news agency ANI.
Celebrations Begin At Shinde Faction Office
Celebrations broke out at the office of Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena in Mumbai after the Speaker delivered his verdict in their favour. Shiv Sena workers were seen distributing sweets and raising slogans.
The case pertains to the Shiv Sena split vertically in June 2022, which led to the collapse of Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA government, and Eknath Shinde was anointed the new Chief Minister. Later, both the Shiv Sena factions filed cross-petitions seeking action against each other’s MLAs under the anti-defection laws, violating the Whips, etc.
In May last year, the Supreme Court had directed the Speaker to pronounce his decision on the real Shiv Sena and give his ruling on the disqualification petitions by December 31. The deadline was later extended by 10 days.
