After BJP and Shinde camp claimed victory in over 140 of the total 271 gram panchayats, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has yet again targeted the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena terming it Uddhav Thackeray group in his tweet. Shinde took to Twitter to congratulate the winner. He put out photos of Shiv Sena supremo late Bal Thackeray, his mentor and former Thane district chief late Anand Dinghe and poll symbol bow and arrow.
‘’The Shiv Sena-BJP alliance government gets the people's mandate in the Gram Panchayat elections in the state. Congratulations to all winners of the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance and congratulations and thanks to all the office bearers and workers of the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance who worked hard in the election,’’ said Shinde. He also gave the party-wise tally comprising BJP 82, Shiv Sena 40 and specifically mentioned Uddhav Thackeray group with 27 gram panchayats besides NCP 53, Congress 22 and others 47.
Shinde’s move to term Uddhav Thackeray group is important when both factions are currently engaged in the legal battle. Shinde has claimed he represents the real Shiv Sena but it was strongly opposed by the Thackeray faction. Shinde camp has also approached the Election Commission asking for their faction to be identified as the ‘Shiv Sena.’ However, the Thackeray faction had gone against Shinde camp in the Supreme Court which had asked the Election Commission to not take precipitation action on the ‘’Real Shiv Sena’’ claim.
Earlier, Shinde took pains to only refer to his former boss Uddhav Thackeray as the former CM and not as the Shiv Sena president. Shinde tweeted, “Happy Birthday to Hon’ble Shri Uddhavji Thackeray, Former Chief Minister of Maharashtra. May he have a long and healthy life, I pray to Goddess Jagdamba.”
