'Left Varsha, not the fight', Uddhav in address to Sena workers

Mumbai, Jun 24: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday vowed to fight amid the ongoing political crisis in the state.

In his virtual address to the party's district unit chiefs and 'sampark pramukhs' assembled at the Shiv Sena Bhavan at Dadar in central Mumbai, CM Thackeray said he may have vacated the chief minister's official residence, but his determination is intact.

"Despite the rebellions that the party has faced earlier, it came to power twice. I may have left 'Varsha', the chief minister's official residence, but not my determination," he said.

Thackeray added that in the last two-and-a-half years, he battled the COVID 19 pandemic as well as his own ill-health, but opponents took advantage of this situation.

"I had pain in my neck & head, I was not able to work properly, I could not open my eyes but I did not care about it. Shivaji Maharaj was defeated but people were always with him," said Thackeray.

"Eknath Shinde's son is an MP from Shiv Sena, I did everything for him. The department I had was given to Shinde. But he is making several allegations against me. I did everything for Eknath Shinde," he reportedly told party workers.

Shiv Sena leader and minister Aaditya Thackeray was present at the Shiv Sena Bhavan during the chief minister's address.

In the wake of the revolt by Shinde, CM Thackeray had on Wednesday night vacated his official residence in south Mumbai and moved to family home in suburban Bandra.

The Sena has been witnessing the rebellion within the party after Eknath Shinde broke away and formed a rebel group with the support of several legislators. Shinde is currently camping with at least 38 rebel MLAs of the Sena and 10 independents in Guwahati. He has claimed that the faction led by him is the "real Shiv Sena".

In the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly, Shiv Sena has 55 MLAS, NCP (53), Congress (44), Bahujan Vikas Agahdi (three), Samajwadi Party, AIMIM and Prahar Janshakti Party two each. MNS, CPI-M, PWP, Swabhimani Paksha, Rashtriya Samaj Party, Jansurajya Shakti Party and Krantikari Shetkari Paksha have one MLA each. There are 13 independent MLAs. The opposition BJP has 106 MLAs.