India
Uddhav Thackeray, leader of Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction, UBT), on Friday offered to step down if party workers and supporters no longer trusted his leadership, as his party grapples with fresh defections and internal turmoil. Speaking at the party’s 60th foundation day celebration held at Shanmukhanand Hall in Matunga, Mumbai, Uddhav struck a defiant tone, apologised to voters affected by recent defections and levelled strong criticism at the BJP.
“I am not someone who will run away in the face of challenges, but if you don’t have trust in me, I am willing to step down,” Uddhav said, addressing a gathering of party workers and supporters. His remarks came amid media reports that six Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs could break away to support the rival Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde, who is aligned with the BJP and the NDA. Those six MPs were notably absent from the foundation day event.
Uddhav directly blamed the BJP for attempting to dismantle his party, asserting that the country was moving towards a scenario of “one party, no election.” He contrasted the BJP’s approach with that of the Congress, saying that although the undivided Shiv Sena once spent decades battling the Congress, the Congress never sought to finish off the party in the manner he accused the BJP of attempting.
Addressing the alleged rebellion within his ranks, Uddhav said Shiv Sainiks were not dispirited but instead “fired up.” He offered an apology to electors who supported candidates in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections who have now reportedly defected. “I apologise to electors who in 2024 voted for Lok Sabha MPs who have now defected,” he said, adding that those voters had backed the party in response to his appeal and the legacy of Balasaheb Thackeray, and that the UBT won nine seats without invoking Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s name.
During the event, Uddhav felicitated four Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs, including three Lok Sabha members who remained loyal to his faction. Speculation persists about the six MPs—Sanjay Dina Patil, Nagesh Patil Ashtikar, Om Raje Nimbalkar, Bhausaheb Wakchaure, Sanjay Deshmukh and Sanjay Jadhav—potentially joining the Shinde-led faction in the NDA.
On the question of an alliance or merger with the Congress, Uddhav was emphatic: Shiv Sena was founded to represent the Marathi manoos, and there is “no question of merging it with any party.” His comments underline the party’s attempt to retain its distinct regional identity even as it confronts internal division and mounting political pressure.
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