NEW DELHI: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday challenged Maharashtra assembly speaker Rahul Narwekar and chief minister Eknath Shinde to a public debate with him on which faction is the real Shiv Sena.
The former chief minister said that he has already challenged the speaker’s decision to dismiss disqualification pleas against Shinde camp MLAs and recognising their faction as the real Shiv Sena in the Supreme Court.
A combative Thackeray said that he is taking this battle to the “people’s court”.
“I challenge Rahul Narwekar and (Eknath) Shinde to appear before people and answer the question of whom Shiv Sena belongs to,” he said at a press conference in Mumbai.
Uddhav wondered why the BJP sought his support in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections if he wasn’t the real Shiv Sena chief.
“This battle (between his party and the Shinde-led Shiv Sena) would decide whether democracy will prevail in the country,” he said.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra speaker Rahul Narwekar accused the Uddhav-led faction of using derogatory language against him.
“On 10th January, I read judgment on disqualification (of MLAs). For the last six days, some political leaders and workers have been misleading people about my judgment. Shiv Sena (UBT) is using derogatory language against me. They don’t even respect the assembly speaker. It’s really harmful to the democratic structure,” Narwekar.
He added that he gave his ruling according to the apex court order.
“Supreme Court never said that appointment of Bharat Gogawale as whip (of Shinde faction) was wrong. SC said that the speaker must recognise the real Shiv Sena. Because I received claims from both sides, I gave my judgement according to the Supreme Court order,” the speaker said.
Narwekar on January 10 held in a long-awaited ruling that the Shinde faction was the real Sena while dismissing disqualification petitions filed by both Shinde and Thackeray camps against each other’s MLAs following a split in the party in June 2022.
(With inputs from agencies)
The former chief minister said that he has already challenged the speaker’s decision to dismiss disqualification pleas against Shinde camp MLAs and recognising their faction as the real Shiv Sena in the Supreme Court.
A combative Thackeray said that he is taking this battle to the “people’s court”.
“I challenge Rahul Narwekar and (Eknath) Shinde to appear before people and answer the question of whom Shiv Sena belongs to,” he said at a press conference in Mumbai.
Uddhav wondered why the BJP sought his support in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections if he wasn’t the real Shiv Sena chief.
“This battle (between his party and the Shinde-led Shiv Sena) would decide whether democracy will prevail in the country,” he said.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra speaker Rahul Narwekar accused the Uddhav-led faction of using derogatory language against him.
“On 10th January, I read judgment on disqualification (of MLAs). For the last six days, some political leaders and workers have been misleading people about my judgment. Shiv Sena (UBT) is using derogatory language against me. They don’t even respect the assembly speaker. It’s really harmful to the democratic structure,” Narwekar.
He added that he gave his ruling according to the apex court order.
“Supreme Court never said that appointment of Bharat Gogawale as whip (of Shinde faction) was wrong. SC said that the speaker must recognise the real Shiv Sena. Because I received claims from both sides, I gave my judgement according to the Supreme Court order,” the speaker said.
Narwekar on January 10 held in a long-awaited ruling that the Shinde faction was the real Sena while dismissing disqualification petitions filed by both Shinde and Thackeray camps against each other’s MLAs following a split in the party in June 2022.
(With inputs from agencies)